No. 25 Softball falls in eight innings to No. 18/20 Arizona, 3-2

Saturday, March 12

Arlington, Texas

3:30 p.m.

University of Texas

16-4

Arizona

16-8

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Texas	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	2	6	1
Arizona	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	3	5	1

No. 25 Softball falls in eight innings to No. 18/20 Arizona, 3-2

03.12.2016 | Softball

Box Score

Junior Tiarra Davis allowed two earned runs on five hits over 7.1 innings in suffering a tough loss

ARLINGTON, Texas – No. 25 Texas softball (16-4) got a pair of hits each from senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens and junior designated player Celina Felix as well as a solid start out of junior hurler Tiarra Davis but dropped a tough, eight-inning decision to No. 18/20 Arizona (16-8) on Saturday afternoon in Maverick Classic play at Allan Saxe Field, 3-2.

Stephens continued her impressive offensive production from the lead-off spot, going 2-for-4 with her fourth HR of the season and a RBI, while Felix was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a double. Freshman third baseman Christina Bardwell and junior first baseman Kelli Hanzel each posted 1-for-3 efforts.

In the circle for the Longhorns, Davis fell to 10-3 on the season after allowing two earned runs on five hits with seven walks and three strikeouts over 7.1 innings of work.

Each team managed a lead-off single during its half of the first as Stephens opened the top with a single to left and left fielder Mandie Perez blooped a hit over second in the bottom half.

After Texas left its runner stranded, Arizona quickly turned its first-inning occupant into an early lead. Second baseman Ashleigh Hughes followed with a single off the glove of a leaping Bardwell at third. With runners at second and third and no one out, shortstop Mo Mercado drove a shot to center. Stephens got on her defensive horse and made a great leaping grab to limit the damage to just a sacrifice fly and a 1-0 Wildcats lead. More terrific Longhorns defense kept the damage to a minimum as Davis made a great leaping grab of a pop behind the circle for the second out. With runners at the corners, center fielder Alexis Dotson hit a high chopper to short that junior shortstop Devon Tunning grabbed on the run. The Montgomery, Texas, native quickly shoveled the ball to senior Stephanie Ceo covering second for the inning-ending force.

The Burnt Orange & White put together a scoring opportunity of their own in the top of the second against starter Taylor McQuillin as a lead-off walk from Tunning and a one-out single from Bardwell put two aboard with one down. Unfortunately, a groundout to short and a strikeout brought a premature end to the Longhorns threat.

In the top of the third, Stephens stepped into the box for the Longhorns and made it eight-consecutive plate appearances with a hit over a three-game stretch by blasting a massive solo shot to deep right to tie the score at 1-1.

Arizona used a long ball of its own to immediately re-take the advantage in the bottom of the third. Third baseman Katiyana Mauga hit a drive to center that sent Stephens racing back to the wall. The Texas outfielder leapt at the fence and almost made a great catch, but had the ball hit off the tip of her glove and continue on over for a solo HR to make it 2-1.

The 'Cats got lead-off walks and a runner in scoring position off Davis in both the fourth and fifth innings but watched Davis retire the next three in order in each frame to maintain Texas' one-run deficit.

Felix got a key rally started for the Longhorns beginning the top of the sixth by driving the first pitch of the frame to the wall in right for a double. Following a Reagan Hathaway sacrifice bunt, Tunning stepped to the plate facing a big spot. She grounded a ball that traveled right through Arizona shortstop Mercado's legs, allowing Felix to score and tie the contest at 2-2.

A one-out Hanzel single gave the Longhorns a chance to string something together to take a lead during the top of the seventh. Unfortunately, the runner was left stranded at second on a bouncer to the circle and a strikeout.

Facing one final chance in regulation, Arizona got a two-out walk from Mauga but that was it against Davis as the teams would require extra frames to settle their showdown.

With junior left fielder Stephanie Wong stationed at second to begin the top of the eighth, Felix stepped into the box and ripped a liner right to short for a very loud first out. Following a K, Tunning battled McQuillin over a 10-pitch at-bat to draw a walk, placing a pair aboard. A bouncer back to the circle left the duo on the base paths, however, as the game remained dead-locked at two apiece.

The Wildcats took advantage of their chance to finish the game in the bottom of the eighth. Boasting runners at the corners with no outs following a bunt single, catcher Lauren Young stepped to the plate. She lined a ball that was caught on the fly in the infield, but a throw attempting to double off the runner at first was high. The ball ricocheted off the fence and right back to Hanzel, but her throw to the plate proved just late as designated player Tamara Statman slid in from 60 feet away to end the extra-inning affair.