Softball bangs out 13 hits during Friday’s 9-5 victory at Texas Tech

Friday, April 14

Lubbock, Texas

4 p.m.

University of Texas

22-18, 2-6

Texas Tech

17-22, 4-7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Texas	1	1	4	2	0	1	0	9	13	1
Texas Tech	0	2	0	1	1	1	0	5	9	3

Softball bangs out 13 hits during Friday’s 9-5 victory at Texas Tech

04.14.2017 | Softball

Box Score

Five different Longhorns batters registered multiple-hit efforts during the Burnt Orange & White victory

LUBBOCK, Texas – Five different Longhorns registered multiple hits, the UT offense banged out 13 total hits and Texas softball (22-18, 2-6 Big 12 Conference) scored in five of seven innings in knocking off Texas Tech (17-22, 4-7 Big 12 Conference) to secure a series triumph on Friday at Rocky Johnson Field, 9-5.

Senior first baseman Kelli Hanzel helped power the Burnt Orange & White offensive charge by going 2-for-4 at the plate with her second HR of the season and three RBIs, while senior shortstop Devon Tunning was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, her fourth intentional walk of the TTU series and two doubles. Freshman designated player Taylor Ellsworth was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI, junior catcher Randel Leahy was 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and two RBIs and freshman right fielder Kaitlyn Washington was 2-for-4.

In the circle for the Longhorns, senior Tiarra Davis (5-8) picked up the win after allowing four earned runs on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts over 5.0 innings of work. The Henderson, Texas, native also helped her own cause at the dish by managing a 1-for-4 hitting effort with a RBI. Junior Paige von Sprecken permitted one earned run on three hits with a walk and two K's in 2.0 frames of relief.

"I'm obviously pleased, because when you're (having success) on someone else's turf in conference play, it's meaningful," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "We've been fighting so hard and not getting the outcomes. We just continue to work and talk about how the breaks will go our way eventually. I thought we had a good week leading in, trying to remember some of the fundamentals of the game, most importantly just competing and having fun. It's amazing what happens when you do those things.

"Last night, it was amazing to see us that tenacious for the entire 14 innings. That was a real turning point for us. Coming into today, I thought we had a great film session this morning. To be able to look at some film and talk through things specifically, I thought our game plan was tremendous right from the first at-bat of the game by Devon Tunning. Lot of confidence boosts. It's nice to get the good outcomes to get our confidence boosted back up."

Tunning got the Longhorns' offense off to the right start during the top of the first by christening the frame with a double to the wall in left center. With the runner at third following a groundout, senior third baseman Celina Felix drew a five-pitch walk off TTU starter Mattison Maisel to join her teammate on the base paths. Ellsworth soon provided her squad with an early lead as the Georgetown, Texas, native lifted a sacrifice fly to right, plating Tunning for a 1-0 advantage.

After Davis struck out the Texas Tech side during the opening frame, Hanzel quickly added to Texas' lead by blasting a solo HR to left center to make it 2-0.

A lead-off TTU walk came back to hurt the Horns with two retired in the bottom of the second as a Susan Welborn free pass starting the frame was cashed in on a two-run HR to left by shortstop Brittany Warnecke.

During the top of the third, Tunning ignited another rally by registering her second lead-off double of the contest on a liner off the glove of leaping TTU first baseman Devon Thomey. Felix's second walk of the match-up and an Ellsworth base knock through the left side loaded the bags full of Longhorns with one out. That set the stage for more Hanzel fireworks as the Houston, Texas, product ripped a two-RBI single through the left side. On the play in left field, TTU's outfielder Raina O'Neal misplayed the ball allowing Ellsworth the opportunity to score as well and boost the Horns to a three-run lead. Leahy immediately added to the outburst by hammering a RBI double to the wall in center to push the gap to 6-2.

The back-and-forth contest continued into Texas Tech's half of the third as a pair of walks and a two-out single from third baseman Jessica Hartwell loaded the bases. Davis worked the count full against O'Neal before escaping the jam on a swinging strikeout to leave the Red Raider trio stranded.

A lead-off Stephanie Wong walk and a failed fielder's choice on a Tunning bouncer to short put two more runners on base for the Longhorns in the fourth. Washington stepped to the plate and drilled a single to right. On the throw home, TTU catcher Welborn attempted to catch Wong straying too far around third, but her throw ricocheted off the runner and rolled over near the UT dugout allowing the speedster to scamper home with Texas' seventh tally. Davis stepped into the box and helped her own cause by lacing a RBI base knock up the middle to improve the advantage to 8-2.

A lead-off base hit from Texas Tech center fielder Kiani Ramsey, a wild pitch, a groundout that advanced the runner and a RBI bloop single to right from second baseman Kiana Workman conspired to cut the Red Raider deficit in the bottom of the fourth to 8-3.

After the Burnt Orange & White missed a golden opportunity to add to their lead by leaving the bases loaded during the top of the fifth, the Red Raiders clawed even closer in the bottom half. Following a two-out double off the wall in right from Welborn, O'Neal hit a towering pop-up to shallow left. In the blustery conditions at Rocky Johnson Field, the ball blew away from Tunning, as she raced out attempting to corral it, and dropped in for a RBI double to trim the gap to 8-4.

Texas picked up a valuable insurance run in the sixth to secure a 9-4 lead. Ellsworth became the sixth consecutive leadoff batter to reach for the Horns in the contest by singling to open the frame. Two outs later, Leahy hit a liner to center that eluded Ramsey's diving attempt and rolled to the wall for a run-scoring triple.

The Red Raiders continued battling into their half of the sixth as a walk and consecutive two-out singles from right fielder Kierra Miles and first baseman Devon Thomey brought home TTU's fifth tally.

With one final chance to get back in the contest, Texas Tech got a two-out Ramsey infield single in the seventh. Warnecke came to the plate and launched a promising shot to center only to watch Wong make a tremendous grab near the wall to end the game.