Softball tops Texas Tech in its Big 12 Tournament opener, 7-1

Friday, May 12

Oklahoma City, Okla.

11 a.m.

University of Texas

31-22

Texas Tech

18-35

Texas Tech

Texas

Softball tops Texas Tech in its Big 12 Tournament opener, 7-1

05.12.2017 | Softball

Box Score

Senior third baseman Celina Felix led the UT offensive charge by going 2-for-4 with a three-run HR

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Texas softball's (31-22) return to the Big 12 Tournament proved successful on a blustery Friday morning at Integris Field as the Longhorns offense managed nine total hits, including four of the extra-base variety, in blowing past Texas Tech (18-35) in pool play action, 7-1.

Senior third baseman Celina Felix led the UT charge at the plate by going 2-for-4 with a double, her second HR of the season and three RBIs. Freshman catcher Taylor Ellsworth was 2-for-4 with a run scored, senior first baseman Kelli Hanzel was 2-for-3 with a tally and a RBI, senior shortstop Devon Tunning was 1-for-4 with a double and sophomore right fielder Bekah Alcozer was 1-for-2 with her own double.

In the circle for the Burnt Orange & White, redshirt sophomore Erica Wright improved to 7-6 on the year after allowing one earned run on three hits with one walk and seven strikeouts during a complete-game effort.

A Red Raiders infield miscue on an Ellsworth chopper got the Longhorns offense in business for the first time against TTU starter Kassidy Scott opening the bottom of the second. A sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch soon moved the runner to third, just 60 feet from pay dirt. Hanzel stepped to the plate and hit a little bouncer just up the third base line. Texas Tech catcher Susan Welborn raced out from behind the dish to grab the ball and tried to catch Ellsworth straying too far off the third base bag. Her throw proved wide and rolled down the line as the UT freshman catcher scored to make it 1-0. With the bags packed and two down following an Alcozer walk and a Stephanie Wong hit-by-pitch, Tunning hit a chopper to third that was misplayed for TTU's third miscue of the frame, plating two more for a 3-0 Texas advantage.

Texas' defense flexed its muscle during the top of the third inning with a pair of outstanding catches. First, Ellsworth battled a swirling wind and the back-stop fencing to handle a foul pop-up off the bat of TTU third baseman Ashley Fultz. Wong got into the action just moments later, racing back from her defensive position in center to rob second baseman Kiana Workman of a solo HR on a leaping grab at the fence.

Felix got Texas's offense going again in the bottom of the third by launching a lead-off double to the wall in center. With the runner stationed at third and two down, Hanzel delivered the clutch hit by driving a RBI single to right center to improve UT's lead to 4-0.

The Red Raiders registered their initial hit off Wright with one retired in the top of the fourth as first baseman Jessica Hartwell singled just over a leaping Hanzel at first and into right. The base runner eventually swiped second to reach scoring position, but never moved another step as Wright struck out Welborn and left fielder Raina O'Neal to end the frame.

The Burnt Orange & White put together a two-out rally to blow things wide open in the bottom of the fourth. With runners at the corners after Tunning's team-leading 14th double of the season and an error on a dropped TTU throw at first, Felix crushed a three-run bomb to center to improve UT's advantage to 7-0.

Needing a big rally, Texas Tech started trying to chip away at its deficit during the fifth as shortstop Brittany Warnecke hit a solo HR to left center to cut the TTU deficit to 7-1.

After the Horns missed a big chance to end the contest via run-rule by leaving two in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth, right fielder Kierra Miles got the Red Raiders started in the sixth with a lead-off triple just inside the first-base bag and down into the corner. Ramsey followed by lifting a fly ball to right that was tracked down by Alcozer. The Belton, Texas, product quickly fired a throw towards the plate, but Miles crossed easily on the play. On appeal, however, the runner was judged to have left third early resulting in a huge Texas double play that effectively neutralized any TTU threat.

With one final chance to try to get back into the match-up, Texas Tech couldn't get anything going against Wright as the Huntington, Texas, product retired Welborn, O'Neal and Thomey in order in the seventh to complete the UT triumph.