Softball drops its Texas Invitational nightcap to South Carolina, 9-4

Friday, February 17

Austin, Texas

3 p.m.

University of Texas

5-3

#RV/NR South Carolina

6-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
South Carolina	0	1	2	3	3	0	0	9	11	0
Texas	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	4	8	1

Softball drops its Texas Invitational nightcap to South Carolina, 9-4

02.17.2017 | Softball

Box Score

Senior second baseman Mickenzi Krpec led the offense by going 2-for-3 with two doubles and a RBI

AUSTIN, Texas – On Friday evening in Texas Invitational action at Red & Charline McCombs Field, Texas softball (5-3) got a career-high two doubles out of senior second baseman Mickenzi Krpec and banged out eight hits as a team but suffered a 9-4 loss to South Carolina (6-0).

Krpec guided the Longhorns offense by going 2-for-3 with the two doubles, a run scored and a RBI. Sophomore center fielder Reagan Hathaway (1-for-4, run), junior catcher Randel Leahy (1-for-3, run) and sophomore right fielder Bekah Alcozer (1-for-2. walk) were each credited with a single RBI in the defeat.

In the circle for the Burnt Orange & White, senior starter Tiarra Davis (0-2) took the loss after allowing three earned runs on six hits with six walks and two strikeouts over 3.2 innings.

South Carolina grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second, but could have had more if not for the UT defense. First baseman Kaylea Snaer walked to open the frame and attempted to score all the way from first on a triple to right center by catcher Alyssa VanDerveer. She was cut down, however, on a perfect relay from Hathaway to first baseman Kelli Hanzel to catcher Taylor Ellsworth. Unfortunately for the Horns, SC right fielder Tiara Duffy soon followed with a RBI double to plate VanDerveer.

Back-to-back two-out RBI doubles off the bats of Snaer and VanDerveer during the top of the third helped the Gamecocks add two more on the scoreboard in taking a 3-0 advantage.

The Longhorns finally got a major threat underway against South Carolina starter Jessica Elliott during the bottom of the third. Wong was struck by a pitch to open the frame and soon advanced to second on a Tunning base knock through the left side. Following a double steal that moved both runners into scoring position, Hathaway got the Horns on the scoreboard via a RBI single up the middle. Wong scored easily, but Tunning was cut down at the plate on a perfect throw from South Carolina center fielder Kamryn Watts. With still only one retired, Krpec stepped into the batter's box and drove a towering double off the top of the wall in left, scoring Hathaway to cut the Texas deficit to just 3-2. Following her walk-off heroics during Friday's opener that beat Louisiana Tech, Leahy continued her hot hitting by tying the contest on a RBI single to right center. Alcozer soon pushed the Longhorns to their first lead of the evening at 4-3 on a RBI base knock past short and into left field.

An infield miscue came back to haunt the Longhorns during the top of the fourth as it opened the door for three unearned runs as the Gamecocks retook the lead. A hit batter, two walks, including one that forced in a tally, and a two-RBI single from third baseman Krystan White ended Davis' stay in the circle as SC secured a 6-4 advantage.

South Carolina cushioned its lead by adding three more runs during the top of the fifth on a trio of bases loaded walks to make it 9-4.

Texas got a lead-off Krpec double in the fifth and a lead-off Tunning walk in the seventh, but couldn't string anything together against reliever Nickie Blue as the Gamecocks completed a 9-4 victory.