No. 21 Softball shuts out Weber State, 5-0

Sunday, February 28

Austin, Texas

10 a.m.

University of Texas

14-2

Weber State

9-7

Weber State

Texas

02.28.2016 | Softball

Box Score

Tiarra Davis and Paige von Sprecken combine on a two-hit blanking of the Wildcats with six K’s

AUSTIN, Texas – Junior Tiarra Davis and sophomore Paige von Sprecken combined on a two-hit shutout, while senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens went 2-for-3 with a triple, a HR and three RBIs to power the offense, as No. 21 Texas softball (14-2) wrapped up its participation in the Texas Invitational on Sunday morning with a 5-0 blanking of Weber State (9-7).

For Stephens, the HR marked her third of the season, while the three RBIs improved her season RBI total to 15, tying freshman Reagan Hathaway for second on the squad behind junior third baseman Celina Felix (17 RBIs). During the weekend, the Beaumont, Texas, native batted .412 (7-for-17) overall with four runs scored, two doubles, a triple, a HR and six RBIs over six contests.

Felix was 2-for-3 in the game with a run, a double and a RBI, junior designated player Taylor McAllister was 1-for-2, senior catcher Erin Shireman was 1-for-1 with a walk and a run scored, senior second baseman Stephanie Ceo was 1-for-2 with a tally and junior shortstop Devon Tunning was credited with a RBI on a sacrifice fly.

In the circle, Davis started and secured the win to improve to 9-1 after firing 4.0 frames of two-hit ball with two walks and four strikeouts. In relief, von Sprecken picked up her first career save via three perfect innings with two K's.

After a quick one-two-three inning for Weber State in the top of the first, Texas jumped right on Wildcat hurler Bailey Seek from the start in the bottom half. Stephens led off the Longhorns' initial at-bat by driving a solo HR over the wall in right to hand UT a quick 1-0 advantage. That set the tone as junior left fielder Stephanie Wong walked and swiped second before racing home on a RBI double to right center by Felix. The advantage soon expanded to 3-0 as a wild pitch moved the runner within 60 feet of pay dirt, setting her up to stroll home on a Tunning sacrifice fly to left.

With Davis in charge from the circle early on, Texas' offense got going again in the second as Shireman and Ceo opened the frame by beating out consecutive infield singles. Following a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners into scoring position, Stephens continued her impressive game by blasting a two-run triple into the left center gap to make it 5-0.

The Wildcats managed their initial hit of the contest with two down in the top of the third as second baseman McKinley Brinkerhoff drove a single into shallow center. That was all Davis would allow, however, as the left-hander struck out center fielder JaeCie Wilson to end the frame.

Third baseman Alyson Kulp ripped a base knock back through the middle to open the best scoring chance of the game for WSU in the top of the fourth. The situation became a full-blown threat just minutes later as consecutive walks by shortstop Aubrey Whitmer and right fielder Sara Hingsberger loaded the bases with just one out. Davis again refused to yield, reacting to the situation with consecutive K's of first baseman Krystin Kubo and designated player Mackenzi Corta to escape a big jam.

From there, reliever von Sprecken entered the contest in relief and faced the minimum of nine batters over the final three innings in earning a dominant save.