The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
15-11
#RV Cal State Fullerton
14-14
Softball blasts past Cal State Fullerton in its DH opener, 10-1 (6 inn.)
03.18.2017 | Softball
Senior pitcher Tiarra Davis became the sixth UT pitcher to reach 50 career victories on the Forty Acres
FULLERTON, Calif. – On Saturday afternoon in the opener of a doubleheader at Anderson Family Field, a Burnt Orange & White offensive assault that saw 10 different Longhorns players combine for 11 total hits backed five solid innings of shutout ball from senior pitcher Tiarra Davis as Texas softball (15-11) roared past Cal State Fullerton (14-14), 10-1 (6 inn.).
With the victory, Davis became just the sixth UT pitcher to reach the 50-career win milestone during her time on the Forty Acres. The Henderson, Texas, native allowed only three hits and struck out seven over five shutout innings of work.
At the plate, junior catcher Randel Leahy powered the offense by going 2-for-3 with a double and four RBIs. Freshman pinch hitter Kaitlyn Washington (1-for-1) doubled, scored a run and registered two RBIs, sophomore right fielder Bekah Alcozer was 1-for-3 with a tally and a RBI and sophomore center fielder Reagan Hathaway was 1-for-2 with two runs, a walk and a RBI. Senior pinch hitter Taylor McAllister and senior third baseman Celina Felix (1-for-2, walk) each contributed doubles during the triumph.
Texas' offense got its first threat going in the top of the second as freshman second baseman Jade Gortarez walked and eventually moved around to third with two retired on a wild pitch and a CSF throwing error. With two in scoring position after a walk and stolen base by Felix, senior first baseman Kelli Hanzel ripped a Trish Parks offering to right center. Unfortunately for the Horns, Titan right fielder Delynn Rippy had just enough time to race over into the gap and make an inning-ending grab as UT left a pair stranded.
With Davis having retired all six Cal State Fullerton batters she had faced over the opening two frames, the Horns got back in business in the third, loading the bases with one out on a perfect slap single from senior left fielder Stephanie Wong (1-for-3, run), a Hathaway hit-by-pitch and a Mickenzi Krpec walk. That set the stage for the big hit Texas needed as Leahy ripped the first offering she received just inside the third-base bag and down the left field line for a double, clearing the bases as the Burnt Orange & White raced to a 3-0 advantage. The hit parade continued against reliever Sydney Golden as an Alcozer RBI single improved the lead to four runs. With two in scoring position after a two-out Felix double, Hanzel hit a ball to short that was bobbled for an error, plating Alcozer from 60 feet away to make it 5-0.
Titan catcher Kylie Padilla became the first Titan batter to reach in the contest by christening the bottom of the third on a single to right center. That seemed to open the door slightly for Cal State Fullerton as an infield hit by center fielder Ariana Williams, and a pair of steals, stationed runners at second and third with still only one out. Davis quickly worked her way out of the jam, however, by inducing a pop-up to third before catching left fielder Samantha Vandiver looking at strike three.
The UT offense continued adding to its lead during the fourth as consecutive walks to Hathaway and Krpec put two on with one out. That gave Leahy another chance to do damage at the plate, and the Norco, Calif., native delivered again by ripping a RBI single through the left side to improve the Texas advantage to 6-0.
In the top of the fifth, the Longhorns put together a two-out scoring opportunity on a Kaitlyn Slack (1-for-2, run) single through the right side and a Malory Schattle hit-by-pitch. Hathaway stepped into the box and quickly made it 7-0 with a sharp lined single to center.
The possibility of the run-rule was brought into play in the top of the sixth as Texas put three more tallies on the scoreboard. With two aboard on a Leahy walk and a McAllister pinch hit double, Washington cleared the base paths on a two-RBI two-bagger to deep center. Already ahead 9-0, a run down between first and second on a steal attempt allowed Washington the chance to race home and finalize the Longhorns' scoring at 10.
The Titans offense found some life against relief pitcher Kristen Clark in the bottom of the sixth as a RBI single from Vandiver cut the deficit to 10-1. CSF would eventually leave the bases loaded, however, as UT's hurler got pinch hitter Gabrielle Rodas swinging to end the run-rule triumph.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jefferson, Janae (3-5)
L: Parks, Trish (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Leahy, Randel 1 ; Hayter, Ki'Audra 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1 ; Felix, Celina 1
RBI: Hathaway, Reagan 1 ; Leahy, Randel 4 ; Alcozer, Bekah 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Slack, Kaitlyn 1 ; Romero, Chloe 1 ; Hathaway, Reagan 2 ; Krpec, Mickenzi 1 ; Leahy, Randel 1 ; DerMargosian, Tuesday 1 ; Hayter, Ki'Audra 1 ; Alcozer, Bekah 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1
SB: Felix, Celina 1
CS: Felix, Celina 1
HBP: Schattle, Malory 1 ; Hathaway, Reagan 1
Batting:
2B: Rippy, Delynn 1
RBI: Vandiver, Samantha 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rippy, Delynn 1
SB: Randall, Emily 1 ; Williams, Ariana 1
