No. 25 Softball outlasts Samford at the Maverick Classic, 10-8

Saturday, March 12

Arlington, Texas

10 a.m.

University of Texas

16-3

Samford

11-9

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Samford	4	0	2	0	0	0	2	8	14	3
Texas	7	0	0	3	0	0	X	10	14	2

No. 25 Softball outlasts Samford at the Maverick Classic, 10-8

03.12.2016 | Softball

Box Score

Reagan Hathaway, Christina Bardwell and Erin Shireman each register two RBIs for Texas in the win

ARLINGTON, Texas – On Saturday morning in Maverick Classic action at soggy Allan Saxe Field, No. 25 Texas softball (16-3) fought out of a 4-0, first-inning hole and banged out 14 hits overall to post its eighth come-from-behind victory of the 2016 season by rallying past Samford (11-9), 10-8.

Senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens continued her incredible production from the lead-off spot by going 4-for-4 with her team-high ninth double of the season, two runs scored, two steals and a RBI. Since moving into the top spot in the line-up prior to the Illinois contest five games ago, the Beaumont, Texas, native is hitting at a remarkable .833 (15-for-18) clip with seven extra-base hits, seven RBIs and a 2.286 OPS.

UT freshman right fielder Reagan Hathaway blasted her fourth HR of the season as part of a 1-for-3, two-run scored, two-RBI effort, freshman third baseman Christina Bardwell was 2-for-3 with a tally and two RBIs and senior catcher Erin Shireman was 2-for-3 with a run scored, a double and a pair of RBIs. Junior shortstop Devon Tunning (1-for-2, two runs) and senior second baseman Stephanie Ceo (1-for-3, run, RBI) each doubled during the victory, while junior left fielder Stephanie Wong went 2-for-4 with a RBI.

In the circle for the Horns, junior Paige von Sprecken (5-1) earned the win in relief, allowing four earned runs on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts over 5.2 innings.

Samford threatened right from the start against Texas starting pitcher Kristen Clark in the top of the first, getting singles from third baseman Callie Brister, center fielder Megan Dowdy and designated player Abby Sweeney to load the bases with two down. Second baseman Abbie Miranda stepped to the dish and lifted a little blooper just over second that dropped into right field, plating a pair for a quick 2-0 lead. Catcher Hannah Trombley immediately expanded the Bulldogs' advantage to four runs by lining a two-RBI double to left. Clark eventually struck out the side, but not before Samford had put a crooked number up on the scoreboard.

Texas struck right back with its own crooked number during the bottom of the first against Samford starter Mollie Hanson. Stephens got things going by leading off the inning with an infield single and a steal of second. With one down and runners set at the corners following a Celina Felix walk, Hathaway hit a bouncer to second that rolled right through Miranda's legs allowing Stephens to score and cut the deficit to 4-1. From there, UT's offense exploded as a double steal and a Samford error on the play led to Texas' second tally. Bardwell knocked in a run via a single through the left side, Shireman drove in a pair on a double to left center, Ceo added her own RBI double to the wall in left center and Stephens laced a RBI single through the right side as the Longhorns battled their way out of a four-run deficit into a 7-4 lead by sending 12 batters to the plate in the frame.

The offensive chaos continued into the top of the second as a pair of singles granted the Bulldogs one-out runners at the corners and ended Clark's stint in the circle. Ceo came up with a big play to prevent a run, handling a Dowdy bouncer and firing home to Shireman for the tag and a big second out. With the bags packed full of Bulldogs and two outs, Sweeney drove a ball to right. Hathaway retreated back to the warning track to make a big catch as Samford left three stranded.

The Bulldogs loaded the bases again with one out in the top of the third via a walk and a pair of singles. Brister followed with a RBI base knock through the right side of the infield to cut the Samford deficit to 7-5. With two retired after a foul out and a strikeout, Dowdy bounced a hit through the left side. One run scored on the play, but a strong Wong throw from left cut down a runner at the plate, ending the frame with the Longhorns still leading, 7-6.

As she has done so often since moving into the lead-off spot in the line-up, Stephens got Texas going by starting the bottom of the fourth with a double to left. Wong followed immediately with a RBI single as the Horns nabbed a two-run advantage. With two outs and the bases empty, Hathaway crushed her fourth HR of the season well over the wall in right. A Tunning double into the left field corner was cashed in on a RBI base knock from Bardwell as the Horns lead expanded to 10-6.

Facing one final chance to rally in the top of the seventh, Samford utilized a lead-off single and a two-run HR from shortstop Lexi Higgins to claw within 10-8 with still no one retired. That was all the Bulldogs could muster, however, as von Sprecken induced three consecutive groundouts to complete Texas' 10-8 triumph.