The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
14-10
Long Beach State
7-16-1
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| Long Beach State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Softball explodes for 10 runs in the sixth to beat Long Beach St., 10-1 (6)
03.15.2017 | Softball
The Longhorns sent a season-high 16 batters to the plate against three 49er pitchers during the sixth
LONG BEACH, Calif. – On a gorgeous Wednesday afternoon at the LBSU Softball Complex, a season-high 10-run, sixth-inning explosion, while sending 16 batters to the plate, powered Texas softball (14-10) to a 10-1 (6 inn.) triumph over Long Beach State.
The 10-run sixth marked the largest single-inning outburst for the Longhorns this season and the most prolific one-inning onslaught for the Burnt Orange & White since putting up 10 runs during the third frame of a 15-2 (5 inn.) rout of Iowa State in Ames, Iowa, on May 6, 2016.
In all, eight different UT batters combined for 10 hits in the contest led by two-hit efforts from freshman catcher Taylor Ellsworth (2-for-3, run, double, RBI) and freshman second baseman Jade Gortarez (2-for-4, run, RBI). Senior shortstop Devon Tunning went 1-for-3 with a tally and two RBIs, while freshman right fielder Kaitlyn Washington doubled as part of a 1-for-4 performance with a RBI. Freshman second baseman Kaitlyn Slack (1-for-3, run), senior first baseman Kelli Hanzel (1-for-3, run), senior designated player Mickenzi Krpec (1-for-3, run) and sophomore center fielder Reagan Hathaway (three walks, two runs) were each credited with single RBIs. Senior left fielder Stephanie Wong also contributed a 1-for-2 effort with two walks and a tally in the victory.
For the Longhorns in the circle, sophomore left-hander Brooke Bolinger (4-1) started and picked up the win, allowing one earned run on four hits with five walks and two strikeouts over 5.0 innings. Senior lefty Tiarra Davis struck out one during a sixth inning of perfect relief work.
After the teams combined to leave four base runners stranded on walks during the opening two frames, Hanzel managed the game's first hit for either offense on a one-out single through the left side in the third. Wong followed soon after with a base knock up the middle and Hathaway walked to load the bases full of Longhorns with two down. Texas missed a big chance to take an early lead, however, as Long Beach State starter Christina Clermont managed to escape the jam by getting Krpec to line out to center field.
Sammi Gyerman christened LBSU's half of the third on a positive note with a leadoff single to left field. The 49er center fielder wouldn't stay on base for long, however, as a strong throw from behind the plate by Ellsworth cut down Gyerman on a steal attempt to clear the diamond.
Long Beach State's offense got back in business opening the fourth as a walk and a Hannah Cookson single up the middle stationed two on to start the frame. With the bases full of 49ers following a one-out free pass, Hanzel took defensive business into her own hands, catching a foul pop-up and handling a bouncer to first to conclude the LBSU threat with no damage.
The scoreless deadlock was finally broken in the bottom of the fifth as the 49ers nabbed a one-run lead. A Gyerman lead-off single, a wild pitch and a two-out RBI base knock up the middle from first baseman Julia Lombardi pushed Long Beach State in front, 1-0.
Falling behind on the scoreboard seemed to wake up the Texas offense as the Horns answered back in a major way with 10 runs in the sixth. Hathaway walked to open the frame, and a perfect Krpec sacrifice bunt moved the Lenexa, Kan., native into scoring position. Ellsworth nearly hit a ball out of the LBSU Softball Complex but had her drive to left ricochet off the top of the wall for a RBI double that tied the score. Washington followed immediately with a line drive double past short and into the left center gap as Texas nabbed its first advantage of the contest at 2-1. The hit parade continued as Slack and Gortarez managed singles, ending Clermont's stint in the circle as Devyn Magnett was summoned in for relief. The new hurler hit Hanzel with the first pitch she threw, forcing in another run. A Tunning single up the middle made it six straight Longhorns to reach in the inning and brought two more across for a 5-1 advantage. Hathaway followed with a bases-loaded free pass, Krpec lined a RBI single to left and the ball was summarily thrown away to third by LBSU allowing another to score. A Slack walk forced in a tally, and Gortarez finalized the assault with a RBI single up the middle. During the season-high, 10-run outburst, Texas sent 16 batters to the plate against three separate 49er pitchers.
Suddenly needing at least one run to extend the contest and avoid the run-rule, Long Beach State went down in order against Davis in the bottom of the sixth on a pair of fly outs to right and a strikeout.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bolinger, Brooke (4-1)
L: Clermont, Christina (4-6)
Batting:
2B: Ellsworth, Taylor 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1
RBI: Tunning, Devon 2 ; Hathaway, Reagan 1 ; Krpec, Mickenzi 1 ; Ellsworth, Taylor 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1 ; Slack, Kaitlyn 1 ; Gortarez, Jade 1 ; Hanzel, Kelli 1
SH: Krpec, Mickenzi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tunning, Devon 1 ; Romero, Chloe 1 ; Hathaway, Reagan 2 ; Krpec, Mickenzi 1 ; Ellsworth, Taylor 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1 ; Slack, Kaitlyn 1 ; Gortarez, Jade 1 ; Hanzel, Kelli 1
HBP: Hanzel, Kelli 1
Batting:
RBI: Lombardi, Julia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gyerman, Sammi 1
CS: Gyerman, Sammi 1
