Softball completes Big 12 sweep of Oklahoma State, 8-7

Sunday, April 24

Austin, Texas

Noon

University of Texas

30-13, 5-6

Oklahoma State

22-22, 4-9

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oklahoma State	0	0	2	1	3	1	0	7	12	0
Texas	0	0	5	1	1	1	X	8	10	1

Softball completes Big 12 sweep of Oklahoma State, 8-7

04.24.2016 | Softball

Box Score

Sophomore Paige von Sprecken led the offensive charge by going 3-for-4 with a HR and four RBIs

AUSTIN, Texas – In a game full of momentum swings on Sunday afternoon at Red & Charline McCombs Field, Texas softball (30-13, 5-6 Big 12 Conference) managed the final one by plating a run in the bottom of the sixth on a clutch, two-out RBI single from sophomore designated player Paige von Sprecken to complete a league sweep of Oklahoma State (22-22, 4-9 Big 12 Conference), 8-7.

The Longhorns offense banged out 10 hits in the contest, led by von Sprecken who went 3-for-4 at the plate with her first career HR (three-run shot) and a career-best four RBIs. Junior first baseman Kelli Hanzel was 1-for-3 with her third HR of the season, junior third baseman Celina Felix was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and junior pitcher Tiarra Davis knocked in a run as part of a 1-for-3 effort with a walk.

In the circle, sophomore Kristen Clark improved to 4-1 overall, allowing one earned run on three hits with a single strikeout over 1.2 innings of relief. Davis started the contest and fired 5.0 frames, permitting three earned runs on seven hits with three walks and four K's while also earning her third save of 2016.

After OSU was retired in order in the top of the first, Texas' offense got something going immediately in the bottom of the first. Stephens walked, Felix followed with an infield single to deep short and a sac bunt moved both runners into scoring position. Unfortunately, the duo never moved from those spots as a pair of fly outs ended the threat with no damage.

The Cowgirls managed their initial hit with one retired in the third as center fielder Maddie Holcomb beat out a bunt single and moved to second during the play on an error. The situation soon escalated into runners at the corners as catcher Vanessa Shippy ripped a base knock up the middle. That set up OSU for a breakthrough on the scoreboard as third baseman Taylor Lynch drove a two-RBI double to right center for a 2-0 advantage. The lead could have been more but junior Devon Tunning corralled right fielder Tiffany Mikkelson's bouncer to short and fired home to senior catcher Erin Shireman for a quick tag to prevent the third run from scoring.

Senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens got Texas's offense off to a positive start during the next half-inning by driving a ball to left center for a lead-off double. Senior right fielder Holly Kern followed two batters later with a bloop single and Davis walked, loading the bags full of Longhorns with still only one retired. After a wild pitch plated UT's first run of the day, von Sprecken blasted her first career HR, a three-run shot, to left as the Burnt Orange & White powered its way to a 4-2 lead. With Tunning at first following a walk, a passed ball, a wild pitch and an illegal Kacy Freeze offering combined to score the runner to make it 5-2.

Oklahoma State answered right back with a two-out rally in the top of the fourth, stationing runners at the corners on a walk and an infield single. Shippy stepped to the dish and laced a RBI single past short and into left to cut the Cowgirls deficit to 5-3. With the bases loaded and a chance to do more damage, Mikkelson hit a fly ball to center that Stephens tracked down routinely to preserve Texas' two-run lead.

The Longhorns got the run right back in the bottom of the fourth as a one-out Felix single was later cashed in by Davis on a RBI base knock up the middle.

With von Sprecken in the circle in relief opening the fifth, a Madi Sue Montgomery leadoff hit, a wild pitch and a walk got the Cowgirls' offense back in business. Following a foul out to left, OSU's Dre McKee blooped a ball to center that dropped just in front of an on-rushing Stephens to bring home Oklahoma State's fourth tally. Clark was summoned out of the bullpen with one down and the bases loaded and immediately permitted a single to center as OSU clawed within one. A bouncer to first off Holcomb's bat was tossed home, but the throw proved just late as McKee slid in to tie the contest at 6-6. With the bases still loaded, Shippy hit a liner right to Hanzel at first and the Houston, Texas, native turned and stepped on the bag for a huge, inning-ending double play.

As so often happens, Hanzel immediately followed up her solid defensive play with a major contribution at the plate in the bottom of the fifth by blasting a solo HR just inside the left field foul pole to push Texas back in front, 7-6.

The Cowgirls continued to fight as Montgomery hit her own solo HR with one out in the top of the sixth to tie the game back up at 7-7.

Once again, the Longhorns answered right backas a leadoff single by Felix in the bottom of the sixth was eventually turned into the go-ahead run as von Sprecken bounced a two-out, RBI single over third and down the left field line to make it 8-7.

With one final chance to rally, Oklahoma State got a two-out single up the middle from Lynch but that was all as Davis wrapped up the victory by catching Mikkelson looking at a called strike three.

TEXAS POSTGAME QUOTES

Texas Head Coach Connie Clark

On what a win like this says about the team: I thought that (our team) played with a lot of grit, obviously. That is something that we need from this group, tremendous amount of grit. They didn't feel pressured and just kept playing the game. That is really important to us, and I am really proud of them in that regard today.

On Paige von Sprecken's performance at the plate: She just competes. That's what you love. Obviously, we had that opportunity there late where we had to make that decision, and it became where we felt like we were basketball. We made the offensive decision versus the defensive because that is what we needed in the moment. Obviously, we burned Kristen [Clark], but we felt like we still had access to Paige and Tiarra [Davis]. It was the right move because she has been hot, so it was great to see her deliver in that scenario.

On putting Tiarra Davis back in to finish the game: We probably would have gone back to Paige had it stayed tied, but we got the one-up. Tiarra's stuff matched up pretty good with them on day one and today as well. She was just struggling through some things physically, and that's why we made the move anyway. I said 'hey we have scored, so if we can get three outs from you, let's go do it.' And again that's why we wouldn't have made that move until we were ahead, but we felt that we could get three more outs from her based on where we were in the line up to help us play defense.

On Kelli Hanzel's homerun: I loved it. She gets the grit award for sure. She was chirping a little bit for sure. They know that I don't like that, but I have her back. She competes so hard, and she was just so emotional. We talked about that, and I said 'put your emotions into your play.' And boy to have her step up and get that ball out of the yard when we needed it. She is one of our most mentally tough kids.

On Devon Tunning's production: We need it. She has really been working through some things, but she has been scrapping. I thought she had some good at bats today, some good quality at bats. Just in regard to a couple things we are looking at mechanically, we saw that today. I think that hitting well is about confidence, and we have to get her confidence back. We have been working during the week to do that, so we just need to stay at it.

On looking at the mid-week game versus Texas Southern before the next home series: I am actually excited that we have a mid-week. It is a single, but it will show us a little bit. When we didn't have a mid-week these past two weeks, it was great for practice opportunities. We really tried to pressure them up in practice, but it is nice when you are seeing someone else in a different arm coming at you. It will be nice to have a single game and try to utilize the entire roster and stay sharp as we head into the series with Kansas, because they are a great ball club.

Sophomore designated player Paige von Sprecken

On the consistency of being able to perform at the plate when needed: I love being able to be part of a team and being able to support my team. So if I am not doing it in the circle, it is awesome that I can do it at the plate. I am just trying to help out in any way that I can.

On the big hit in the sixth: I actually came in from the bullpen, and I ran out. I actually didn't have any of my stuff on. I had to get it back from Kristen [Clark], so I was a little flustered at first. I just took a second to compose myself and really took my time to get in the box. The ball looked so big, and I just saw it. I tried to keep it simple, and I got the run in.

On the lesson from today's game: I think that it shows that we play with a lot of heart and a lot of grit. That is a really great quality that we need to have if we want to go far in post-season. I think that reassures us that we can be here, and we can be one of the top teams. It really pumps us up and give us more momentum.

On the sweep over OSU: It helps our RPI a lot. Especially just going into these next games during the week and then in conference. It just keeps up that momentum.

On looking at the mid-week game versus Texas Southern: We definitely need a win. We need to play good because of the RPI. I think that we just need to keep playing the way that we played today, or all weekend actually. We played with a lot of heart.