Softball falls on a walk-off HR at No. 12/9 Oklahoma, 5-3

Friday, April 15

Norman, Okla.

6:30 p.m.

University of Texas

27-12, 2-5

Oklahoma

33-7, 8-1

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

Softball falls on a walk-off HR at No. 12/9 Oklahoma, 5-3

04.15.2016 | Softball

Box Score

Senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens led Texas’ offense by going 2-for-3 with three RBIs

NORMAN, Okla. – A walk-off, two-run HR off the bat of right fielder Erin Miller with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning powered No. 12/9 Oklahoma (33-7, 8-1 Big 12 Conference) to a 5-3 win over Texas softball (27-12, 2-5 Big 12 Conference) on Friday night in the second game of a doubleheader at Marita Hynes Field.

Senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens led the Longhorns offense by going 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs, while senior right fielder Holly Kern (1-for-3), senior catcher Erin Shireman (1-for-3) and senior second baseman Stephanie Ceo (1-for-2, walk, run scored) each managed single hits in the loss.

In the circle for the Burnt Orange & White, sophomore Paige von Sprecken (9-3) took the defeat, allowing two earned runs on two hits with a walk over 1.2 innings of relief work. Junior left-hander Tiarra Davis started and tossed the opening 5.0 frames, permitting one earned run on three hits to go along with five walks and a K.

Texas nearly got on the scoreboard from the start in the top of the first inning as lead-off batter Stephens drove a ball the other way to left off Sooner starter Kelsey Stevens. OU's Kady Self drifted back as far as she could and managed to make the catch just over the top of the fence to effectively steal away a lead-off solo HR.

A one-out Ceo walk christened a rally that granted the Horns the lead during the top of the third. With junior first baseman Kelli Hanzel standing at second after a fielder's choice and a wild pitch, Stephens laced a two-out RBI single to center to make it 1-0.

Davis ran into trouble for the first time in the contest during the bottom of the third as a two-out throwing error on the Texas infield opened the door by extending the inning. Consecutive walks to Miller and third baseman Sydney Romero packed the bases full of Sooners with two retired. That set the stage for two unearned runs to cross as first baseman Shay Knighten delivered a two-RBI single to right to hand OU a 2-1 lead. With runners stationed at the corners, the Oklahoma lead could have been even more except for a great, inning-ending diving catch by junior shortstop Devon Tunning on a liner heading up the middle.

Consecutive base knocks from Shireman and Ceo ended Stevens stay in the circle for the Sooners with one out in the top of the fifth as Jayden Chestnut entered in relief. After handling a chopper back to the circle that moved both runners into scoring position, Stephens stepped to the dish facing a huge spot. The Beaumont, Texas, native ripped a hard shot to second that took a wicked hop off OU's Caleigh Clifton before kicking out onto the outfield grass for a single as both senior pinch runner Rachel Scott and Ceo scored to hand Texas back the advantage at 3-2.

Bidding to answer right back in the bottom of the fifth, a lead-off walk to catcher Leah Wodach got the Sooners in some business. With one retired and a runner at second following a sacrifice bunt, Miller ripped a double down the line into the right field corner. Pinch runner Macey Hatfield scored easily to dead-lock the game at 3-3, but Miller was cut down trying to stretch her hit into a triple on a perfect relay from Kern to Tunning to Felix.

A walk to start the bottom of the sixth ended Davis' stint in the circle as von Sprecken was summoned out of the bullpen in relief. She induced a pop-up to first before walking Clifton to put two on with still just one retired. OU designated player Fale Aviu came to the plate and hit a chopper to second. Ceo corralled the ball, raced over to step on the bag and fired a low throw that was dug out at first by Hanzel for an inning-ending double play.

Provided the opportunity to win via a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh, OU's Wodach got the decisive outburst going on a one-out single through the left side of the infield. With the game-winning run at second after a pop-up and a wild pitch, Miller stepped into the batter's box with two outs and drove a 3-2 pitch just inside the right field fair pole to hand Oklahoma a 5-3 victory.