Softball takes series opener over Oklahoma State, 4-2

Friday, April 22

Austin, Texas

6 p.m.

University of Texas

28-13, 3-6

Oklahoma State

22-20, 4-7

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

Softball takes series opener over Oklahoma State, 4-2

04.22.2016 | Softball

Box Score

Senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens hit her 17th double to set a new Texas single-season record

AUSTIN, Texas – Senior second baseman Stephanie Ceo blasted a key two-run triple and senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens registered her UT single-season record 17th double of the year to help lead Texas softball (28-13, 3-6 Big 12 Conference) to a series-opening, 4-2 victory over Oklahoma State (22-20, 4-7 Big 12 Conference) on Friday night at Red & Charline McCombs Field.

Ceo led the UT offense by going 1-for-3 with the triple, a run scored and a pair of RBIs. Stephens was 1-for-2 with a walk, a run scored and the record-breaking two-bagger, passing the mark of 16 doubles formerly held by both Taylor Thom (2013) and Nadia Taylor (2012). Junior first baseman Kelli Hanzel knocked in a tally as part of a 1-for-2 effort, while junior shortstop Devon Tunning (1-for-3, run) and senior catcher Erin Shireman (1-for-3) also contributed hits for the Texas offense.

In the circle, junior left hander Tiarra Davis (17-9) earned the victory by allowing two unearned runs on three hits with four walks and four K's over the full seven innings of work.

Walks to Stephens and senior right fielder Holly Kern, an illegal pitch on OSU hurler Kacy Freeze and a stolen base immediately got the Longhorns in business with one out in the bottom of the first. Davis stepped to the dish and hit a sharp bouncer off the glove of diving second baseman Madi Sue Montgomery. Cowgirls shortstop Randee O'Donnell raced over quickly to corral the ball and fired in time for the out at first, but Stephens was able to cross from 60 feet away to grant Texas a 1-0 lead.

Meanwhile for the Burnt Orange & White, Davis was in control from the circle, allowing just two total OSU base runners via walks over the opening three innings. With OSU center fielder Maddie Holcomb standing at first following a free pass in the third, catcher Vanessa Shippy hit a liner up the middle. Ceo raced over behind second base and made a tremendous diving catch to prevent a hit and end the frame.

With one retired in the bottom of the third, Stephens managed the first hit for either team and made program history in the process by blasting a drive down the left field line for her school single-season record 17th double of the year. Unfortunately, the Beaumont, Texas, product was left stranded in scoring position after consecutive bouncers to third.

An infield single from Tunning and a two-out Reagan Hathaway walk put two more on for the Longhorns in the bottom of the fourth. That gave Ceo the opportunity to register a big hit, and the Meadow Vista, Calif., native delivered by driving a two-RBI triple to the wall in right center to extend UT's advantage to 3-0. Hanzel followed immediately with a RBI single of her own to left, plating Ceo for a four-run lead.

Looking to answer right back during the top of the fifth, Oklahoma State mounted its best scoring threat of the contest as a strikeout/wild pitch combo and a walk put a pair of Cowgirls on base with one out. Following an OSU K, pinch hitter Jessi Haffner ripped a hard line drive towards first. Hanzel leapt quickly to her left and made a key snag of the liner to prevent at least one run from scoring as Texas maintained its 4-0 advantage.

Davis' no-hit bid lasted until the start of the sixth inning as Shippy opened the frame with a bloop single to right center. The base runner didn't stay on for long, however, as third baseman Taylor Lynch hit a bouncer to second. Tunning raced over from her defensive position at short, corralled the ball, stepped on the second-base bag and fired a strike to Hanzel at first to complete a 6-3 double play.

Facing one last chance to get back in the game in the top of the seventh inning, Oklahoma State put together a spirited rally. Designated player Kristin Reasnor led off the frame with a double and first baseman Darcy Taylor followed with a walk. With two aboard and no outs, right fielder Michaela Patton hit a liner into the hole between third and short. Tunning raced over and made another spectacular play for the Longhorns defense on a diving grab. After a K for the second out, Holcomb hit a grounder that resulted in an error on the Texas infield as pinch runner Dre McKee scored to make it 4-1. Shippy followed with a RBI single to left, and suddenly, the Cowgirls were within two scores with the potential go-ahead run at the plate. That was as close as OSU would get, however, as Lynch hit a bouncer that Hanzel handled unassisted at first to complete the victory.

TEXAS POSTGAME QUOTES

Texas Head Coach Connie Clark

On the defense: I thought our defense was tremendous tonight. Obviously, there were some top-10 highlight plays. It is hard to pick your favorite one, but that is what we have told our pitchers, that you can't issue the free passes. We have to attack and let our defense step up and play. I think we had tremendous play across the board tonight.

On adjustments looking at the rest of the series: I thought we made some good adjustments offensively. Again, Freeze [OSU pitcher], I don't know if we will see her again tomorrow, but we worked on it and saw some film of her. We made a few adjustments during the game. Other than that, we need to stay on the attack, play defense, have our pitchers throw strikes and play solid defense behind them. We feel good about it. It was a good look tonight.

On the performance of Tiarra Davis: Her defense was working for her tonight. I say that tongue in cheek because obviously it takes a whole team, but she almost threw a no-hitter because she had such great defensive plays. I thought that she looked a little more relaxed tonight, was not consumed with what was on the scoreboard and wasn't consumed with trying to do too much. I think that was the difference. Just being relaxed and letting her defense play behind her. I think that makes all the difference.

On looking towards the rest of Big 12 play: I think (our team) has built a lot of confidence the past few weeks. We've had some missed plays, and we've had some injuries. People are getting healthy and just building some confidence. You love to see them get dirty, and that what we expect of them. If you are on defense, you should be coming back with a dirty uniform. I like the confidence. They are playing with a little more swagger and communicating well. I think that they will continue, after a game like tonight, to build more confidence.

Senior Infielder Stephanie Ceo

On the mentality of the defense: Every time we step on the field on defense our mentality is always get to whatever you can get to. We try and make the great plays, make the routine plays. You come out on top when you do those things.

On looking at the offense going into the rest of the series: We hope to score those runners and move them around. A couple times we left some runners on second base. We didn't move them across. We need to be looking to advance those runners every single opportunity we can get.

On her triple in the fourth inning: To be honest, I really wanted it to go out. I haven't hit one out at this ball park, and I have been playing here for four years. That would have been sweet, but I will take the triple any day. You can't get greedy. Once the ball left the bat, I knew that it was either going to be really close to being out or was out. I knew to try to get around the bases as quickly as possible, and that's exactly what me and the rest of my teammates did.

On the effect of the triple on pitcher Tiarra Davis: I think that in any situation, any pitcher will tell you that when your offense puts runs on the board for you, you can stretch the zone a little bit more. You can play with different pitches and different counts a bit more. It makes it a little easier on them, a little less pressure. It is always nice to play under less pressure.