Softball battles valiantly but drops a 9-8 decision at No. 12/9 OU

Friday, April 15

Norman, Okla.

3:45 p.m.

University of Texas

27-11, 2-4

Oklahoma

32-7, 7-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Texas	0	0	2	0	4	0	2	8	7	0
Oklahoma	2	2	0	2	0	3	X	9	12	1

Softball battles valiantly but drops a 9-8 decision at No. 12/9 OU

04.15.2016 | Softball

Box Score

Senior right fielder Holly Kern blasted her second career grand slam to tie the contest in the fifth

NORMAN, Okla. – On Friday afternoon during the opening game of a Big 12 Conference doubleheader at Marita Hynes Field, Texas softball (27-11, 2-4 Big 12) used senior right fielder Holly Kern's second career grand slam to battle out of a 6-2 hole in the fifth inning and had the go-ahead run on base during the seventh but couldn't quite complete a stirring comeback in falling to No. 12/9 Oklahoma (32-7, 7-1 Big 12), 9-8.

Kern was 1-for-4 at the plate with the grand slam, on her second HR of the campaign, and four RBIs. Junior third baseman Celina Felix knocked in three as part of a 1-for-4 effort with a double, and junior first baseman Kelli Hanzel was a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish with three runs scored. Senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens tied a Texas single-season program record by recording her 16th double of the year while going 1-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored. In the process, the Longhorns managed the most runs in a single game this season off OU ace pitcher Paige Parker.

In the circle for the Horns, sophomore Paige von Sprecken suffered the loss in relief, dropping to 9-2 this year after allowing four earned runs on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout over 3.2 innings. Junior Tiarra Davis started the match-up, permitting four earned runs on three hits with four walks in 1.1 frames, while sophomore Kristen Clark gave up a run on two hits with a K during an inning of relief work.

Texas got off to a promising start against the Big 12's ERA leader Parker during the top of the first as lead-off hitter Stephens blooped a ball into right center. Sooner second baseman Caleigh Clifton ranged back and attempted to backhand the catch on the run but couldn't come up with it. As a result, Stephens raced into second with her UT single-season record-tying 16th double of the year. Unfortunately, a foul out to the left of the plate, a fly out to right and a strikeout left the runner stranded in scoring position.

The Crimson & Cream wasted no time getting a threat of their own going in the bottom half as right fielder Erin Miller christened the frame by drawing a free pass. With one down, first baseman Shay Knighten drove a ball off the wall in right for a double as OU boasted runners at second and third. After a walk loaded the bases, Clifton was struck by a Davis offering to force in the first run of the game. The advantage doubled soon after as designated player Fale Aviu hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Knighten and make it 2-0.

A bunt single starting the bottom of the second from Kelsey Arnold was quickly cashed in on a Miller RBI double to center as the lead expanded to 3-0. A relay to the plate actually proved in time to get Arnold, but Texas senior catcher Erin Shireman was called for obstruction while trying to block the dish. Following a wild pitch and a walk to place runners at the corners, von Sprecken was summoned in from the bullpen in relief. The new hurler retired the next two she faced to end the frame, but not before a double steal by Knighten and Miller combined to bring home OU's fourth tally of the contest.

Needing to answer back, Texas' offense did just that during the top of the third by slicing the Oklahoma lead in half. Hanzel got the outburst started by blooping a one-out base knock to right center. With a pair on the base paths following a Stephens free pass, Felix delivered the needed clutch, two-out hit on a two-RBI double to left center to cut the UT deficit to 4-2.

Oklahoma quickly restored its four-run cushion during the bottom of the fourth as Knighten and left fielder Kady Self contributed consecutive RBI singles to push the gap to 6-2.

The Horns got back in business in a major way in the fifth as a Stephanie Ceo walk, another base hit from Hanzel and an error on a Stephens bunt packed the bases full with no one retired. With Parker close to escaping the jam on a strikeout and a shallow fly ball to left, Kern stepped to the plate and crushed her second career grand slam well over the wall in center to dead-lock the contest at 6-6.

Consecutive singles opening the bottom of the sixth from Miller and third baseman Sydney Romero ended von Sprecken's stint in the circle as Clark was summoned out of the bullpen. Knighten immediately greeted the new hurler with a three-run HR to left, allowing the Sooners to race back in front on the scoreboard, 9-6.

Down to one last chance in the top of the seventh, Hanzel got the frame off to a positive start by improving to 3-for-3 in the contest on a hard single off Parker in the circle. The go-ahead run was soon in the batter's box as Stephens walked and Davis followed with a base hit to load the bases with no outs. The deficit was cut to 9-7 as Felix chopped into a fielder's choice to short. That brought Kern back to the plate facing another huge opportunity, and she again hammered a Parker offering. Unfortunately for the Horns, the ball was right to Self in left as the outfielder made a run-saving catch at her shoe tops. A Parker wild pitch soon brought Stephens across from 60 feet away to cut the OU lead to just one tally. With the tying run standing at second base and two outs, a K looking ended the outburst as the Horns stirring rally came up just a single tally short.