Softball falls at Texas State on walk-off single in extra innings, 2-1 (9)

Wednesday, April 5

San Marcos, Texas

6 p.m.

University of Texas

20-15

Texas State

26-8

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

Softball falls at Texas State on walk-off single in extra innings, 2-1 (9)

04.05.2017 | Softball

Box Score

Freshman right fielder Tuesday DerMargosian led the UT offense by going 2-for-4 at the plate

SAN MARCOS, Texas – On a blustery Wednesday night at Bobcat Softball Stadium, Texas softball (20-15) got strong combined work out of all five of its pitchers but could only scratch out one run against starter Randi Rupp as Texas State (26-8) defeated the Longhorns in extra innings, 2-1 (9 inn.).

Redshirt sophomore Erica Wright started the game in the circle for the Burnt Orange & White, allowing just one hit, walking one and striking out two over 2.0 innings of work. The Huntington, Texas, native has now permitted just eight total hits over her last 33 frames in the circle dating back to March 14 at Loyola Marymount.

Junior right hander Paige von Sprecken (5-3) suffered the loss in 2.2 frames of relief after giving up one earned run on three hits with two walks and two K's.

At the plate for Texas, freshman right fielder Tuesday DerMargosian guided the way with a 2-for-4 effort, while senior designated player Tiarra Davis (1-for-3), freshman catcher Taylor Ellsworth (1-for-4) and freshman second baseman Kaitlyn Slack (1-for-4) each managed singles.

"Obviously, we had a pre-game plan to use all our pitchers to get some work, and I thought they did a great job," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "Paige von Sprecken was money late, and all (the pitchers) competed exceptionally well. We got some solid defense at times, but we're not going to win a lot of games by just scoring one run. I think that's the bottom line. We've got to keep working at getting timely hits. I think our ball club is better than the runs that we're putting up, so we've got to figure that out."

It was the Texas offense that managed the first base runners of the game for either team during the top of the second against Texas State ace Randi Rupp. Davis walked with one down, and after a fielder's choice, DerMargosian battled hard to slap a single into left, placing two on. Senior third baseman Celina Felix stepped into the box and ripped a two-out liner right to TXST third baseman Corrina Liscano to conclude the threat.

The Bobcats got off to a quick start of their own in the bottom of the second as designated player Jaelyn Young drove a 3-2 Wright pitch into left center for a leadoff single. Following a sacrifice bunt and Wright's first strikeout of the contest, right fielder Kennedy Cline joined her teammate on the base paths via walk. Neither runner would move from their spots, however, as UT's hurler caught catcher Sara Rupp looking at an inning-ending strike three.

Second baseman Bailee Carter christened the Bobcat third against UT relief pitcher Kristen Clark by driving a leadoff single to center. With the runner in scoring position on a sac bunt, center fielder Christina McDowell soon followed by delivering a RBI base knock to right for a 1-0 TXST lead.

With the Longhorns looking to answer right back, Ellsworth handed Texas a base occupant with a one-out single over first and down the line. Slack came to the plate with two down and hit a promising drive to right. With the wind blowing out that direction, TXST's right fielder Cline made it interesting but eventually tracked down the ball on the run near the wall to prevent extra bases.

Texas sophomore Brooke Bolinger got into a bit of a jam from the circle in the bottom of the fourth, putting two Bobcats aboard on a leadoff single and a hit batter. With the duo both in scoring position and two retired, the UT reliever got out of trouble by inducing a Carter foul out down the right field line.

DerMargosian got on the base paths again by reaching on an error to open the bottom of the fifth. Moved within 60 feet of pay dirt on a sac bunt and a fly out to center, she was left stranded at third as senior shortstop Devon Tunning ripped a solid line drive to center but right at McDowell.

Still searching for a run to tie things up, the Longhorns got some welcome assistance from the Bobcat defense in the sixth. Ellsworth began what would become the game-tying outburst by reaching second on a dropped pop-up behind first by Carter. Davis followed by stepping into the box and lacing a key single the other way to left. Texas State left fielder Kimberlin Naivar misplayed the ball for the Bobcats' second error of the inning, allowing sophomore pinch runner Bekah Alcozer to score and dead-lock the contest at 1-1.

Texas State came close to untying things starting the bottom of the sixth as Liscano hit a long fly ball that was caught at the base of the wall by DerMargosian.

Once again, DerMargosian got the Longhorns off to the right start by opening the top of the seventh with an infield single. With the Fort Worth, Texas, product standing at second and two down, Tunning battled over nine pitches before hitting a chopper to short that was booted. Unfortunately for UT, Liscano picked up the errant ball near third, turned and gunned down DerMargosian at the plate to end the frame and preserve the 1-1 tie.

After Texas left a runner stranded at second during the top of the eighth, Texas State got its leadoff on in the bottom half via an Ortiz walk. The Bobcats eventually boasted runners at the corners with two retired but von Sprecken got Cline to fly out harmlessly to Hathaway in center.

The end finally came in the bottom of the ninth as Texas State loaded the bases against von Sprecken with one out on a single, a walk and a failed fielder's choice at third. With two down after a strikeout of Ortiz, Young ripped a walk-off single to left to finish TXST's 2-1 triumph.