Softball stays perfect at Mary Nutter with 4-2 win over No. 15/13 Tennessee

Saturday, February 25

Cathedral City, Calif.

2 p.m.

University of Texas

11-3

#15/13 Tennessee

13-2

Tennessee

Texas

Softball stays perfect at Mary Nutter with 4-2 win over No. 15/13 Tennessee

02.25.2017 | Softball

Box Score

Senior pitcher Tiarra Davis scattered five hits and struck out four in earning an important early-season win

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The first home runs of the season from sophomore center fielder Reagan Hathaway and senior designated player Mickenzi Krpec and a two-run double by freshman second baseman Jade Gortarez proved enough to back a solid effort from senior Tiarra Davis in the circle as Texas softball (11-3) remained perfect at the Mary Nutter Classic with a 4-2 victory over No. 15/13 Tennessee (13-2).

The Longhorns raced to a 3-0 advantage with two outs in the bottom of the first on the strength of both Hathaway's first HR of the season and Gortarez' key two-bagger and never trailed in earning a season-best sixth-consecutive victory of 2017.

In the circle for the Burnt Orange & White, Davis improved to 2-2 overall after scattering five hits, allowing one earned run, walking none and striking out four over a complete-game effort.

Krpec helped power the offensive charge against the Vols by going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a double and a HR, Gortarez was 2-for-3 with the tone-setting, two-run double and junior catcher Randel Leahy was 2-for-3 with a double.

Following a one-two-three top of the first for No. 15/13 Tennessee, that included a terrific inning-ending diving grab at short by senior Devon Tunning, Texas wasted no time taking an early lead during the bottom half. With two retired in the frame, Hathaway stepped to the plate and blasted her first HR of the season to right for a quick 1-0 lead. The advantage soon expanded to three tallies as Gortarez followed up a Krpec double and a Bekah Alcozer walk with a two-RBI double to the wall in right center.

Meanwhile, in the circle for the Longhorns, Davis was dealing, retiring the first 12 Vols she faced in order with two strikeouts while her defense backed her up with solid play.

In the bottom of the fourth, Texas' offense got something underway against Tennessee reliever Matty Moss as Gortarez christened the frame with a single past third. Leahy followed by just tipping a ball on a full swing out in front of the plate. The ball landed in the dirt and spun over towards the third-base line, eventually dying on the chalk for a base hit as the Longhorns boasted two on with still no outs. Unfortunately for the Horns, the Vols escaped a big jam with a pair of Moss strikeouts and a caught stealing at third.

Tennessee finally got its first hit of the match-up starting the top of the fifth as shortstop Meghan Gregg drove a Davis offering over the wall in left center to cut the deficit to 3-1. That seemed to ignite the Vol offense as first baseman Taylor Rowland and catcher Abby Lockman each followed with one-out singles to station runners at the corners. The Horns nearly got out of the inning with no further damage, but a dropped pop-up that would have ended the frame, allowed Tennessee to trim the Texas lead on an unearned run to just 3-2.

The Vols boasted two more base runners with one retired in the top of the sixth on a pair of infield singles by second baseman Aubrey Leach and designated player Brooke Vines. That's when Texas' defense came up with two of the biggest plays of the game. Gortarez started the standout plays by handling a liner just off the top of the dirt from clean-up hitter Gregg. Vol right fielder Scarlet McSwain followed by lifting a 3-2 offering to the right of home plate in foul ground. Leahy raced out from behind the plate for the Longhorns, drifted over near the fencing and made a terrific, inning-ending grab to leave two Tennessee runners stranded.

Starting the bottom of the sixth, Texas received some valuable insurance as Krpec crushed a Moss offering down the left field line to make it 4-2.

With one final chance to extend or perhaps win the contest in the seventh, Tennessee went down in order on a foul-out to second and a pair of Davis strikeouts as the Longhorns secured a huge early-season victory.