No. 24 Softball falls at Texas State, 9-5

Wednesday, March 2

San Marcos, Texas

6 p.m.

University of Texas

14-3

Texas State

12-5

Texas

Texas State

03.02.2016 | Softball

Box Score

Senior Lindsey Stephens and freshman Reagan Hathaway combined for five of Texas’ nine total hits

SAN MARCOS, Texas – On Wednesday night in front of the second-largest crowd in Bobcat Softball Stadium history (1,011), No. 24 Texas softball (14-3) suffered a 9-5 loss to Texas State (12-5).

The Longhorns offense banged out nine hits in the contest with senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens (3-for-3, run, team-leading eighth double of the season, RBI), freshman right fielder Reagan Hathaway (2-for-3, double, two RBIs), junior third baseman Celina Felix (1-for-3, run, RBI) and junior left fielder Stephanie Wong (one RBI) responsible for UT's RBIs.

In the circle, junior Tiarra Davis fell to 9-2 on the season, allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts over 4.0 innings of work. Sophomore hurlers Paige von Sprecken (4 ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 1 K) and Kristen Clark (1 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K) each worked a single frame of relief for the Horns.

Facing Texas State hurler Randi Rupp, the Longhorns offense attempted to get off to a quick start during the top of the first as Stephens christened the match-up with a single up the middle. With a runner stationed in scoring position after a sacrifice bunt, Rupp retired the next two batters she faced on a bouncer and a swinging strikeout to leave the early occupant stranded.

An error on the Texas infield and consecutive singles from first baseman Kendall Wiley and center fielder Bianca Prado got the Bobcats in business with the bags packed and no outs in the bottom of the second. After a pop-up behind the plate for the first out, designated player Quincy Charleston ripped a RBI single back up the middle to make it 1-0. The advantage potentially could have been more, but Davis got second baseman Kelli Baker to fly out to shallow left before inducing a pop-up from left fielder Kimberlin Naivar. The pop threatened to drop into shallow right, but senior second baseman Stephanie Ceo raced back to make a leaping catch on the grass to prevent any further damage.

The Bobcats put two more aboard during the third on a lead-off single and a two-out walk. Center fielder Bianca Prado stepped into the box and drove a fly ball to deep right. Hathaway drifted back, and while battling a stiff breeze, made an inning-ending catch near the warning track.

Through the opening four frames, Texas' offense managed at least one base runner during each inning, but couldn't string together enough to advance a runner past second against Rupp.

Finally, in the top of the fifth, the Horns managed to load the bases with two down on a Davis single, a sac bunt, a passed ball and back-to-back Kelli Hanzel (1-for-2, two runs) and Stephens walks. Wong came to the plate facing a huge spot and hit a slow bouncer to Baker. The second baseman nabbed the ball and reached out in an attempt to tag Stephens on the way by, but was judged to have missed as senior pinch runner Rachel Scott scored to tie the game. Felix followed with a short pop-up to the right of the circle that dropped between fielders for a shocking RBI single as Hanzel crossed for a 2-1 advantage. On the play, Stephens was thrown out trying to score from second to conclude the frame, but not before Texas had taken its first lead of the night.

TSU responded right back in the bottom of the fifth as a lead-off walk and a Corrina Liscano double off the top of the center field wall put a pair in scoring position with none retired. The decision was made to bring in von Sprecken from the bullpen, but right fielder Taylor Webb greeted the reliever rudely with a three-run HR to left as the Bobcats rolled back in front, 4-2. From there, a bases-loaded Charleston walk, an infield single, a dropped fly ball and a RBI groundout combined to plate four more to finalize the scoreboard count at 8-2.

In need of a response, Hathaway and junior shortstop Devon Tunning tried to get something underway for the Longhorns in the sixth by opening the frame with consecutive singles through the infield. Unfortunately for UT, Rupp again refused to yield from the circle, inducing a fielder's choice and posting consecutive strikeouts to escape any potential jam.

The Bobcat advantage expanded to 9-2 in the bottom of the sixth via a lead-off Wiley solo HR before Clark brought an end to the frame with three straight strikeouts.

Needing a big seventh inning rally, Hanzel opened Texas' last chance with a single to right center. That set the stage for a RBI double into the right center gap off Stephens' bat to cut the deficit to 9-3. Wong hit a promising chopper back up the middle that Rupp somehow speared on the way by to prevent a single. After Felix followed with a walk to station runners at the corners with still just one down, Hathaway blasted a two-RBI double to the wall in right as Texas trimmed the gap to 9-5. Unfortunately, consecutive groundouts to second ended the Burnt Orange & White outburst a few runs short.