Softball loses NCAA Regional-opening marathon to Texas State, 2-1 (12 inn.)

Friday, May 19

College Station, Texas

4 p.m.

University of Texas

31-25

Texas State

42-15

Texas

Texas State

Softball loses NCAA Regional-opening marathon to Texas State, 2-1 (12 inn.)

05.19.2017 | Softball

Box Score

Texas (31-25) now faces an elimination contest against Texas Southern on Sat., May 20, at 4 p.m. CT

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – For the second time this season, Texas softball (31-25) and Texas State (42-15) were forced into extra innings, and once again, the Bobcats prevailed in an epic marathon as TXST fought past the Longhorns on Friday evening in both teams' opener at the NCAA College Station Regional at the Aggie Softball Complex, 2-1 (12 inn.).

The two squads combined to throw 360 total pitches over the grueling three-hour and forty-three-minute affair with eventual losing pitcher senior Tiarra Davis (8-10) tossing a career-high 11.2 innings and 184 pitches. The Henderson, Texas, product allowed two earned runs on seven hits with seven walks and seven strikeouts in a gutty performance for the Burnt Orange & White.

At the plate, senior first baseman Kelli Hanzel led the way against Texas State ace Randi Rupp, going 2-for-5 with a double and UT's lone RBI. Freshman left fielder Kaitlyn Washington also was 2-for-5 with a double, while senior shortstop Devon Tunning was 2-for-5 with a walk.

"Heartbreaker…again," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "Credit Texas State. I think they got the hits when they needed to, and it was a good battle back-and-forth. Bottom line, I think when it came down to it, they executed, and when we had a couple of opportunities to do that, we didn't. Tough to see. I mean there were, I believe, three balls caught at the wall. It's just been a battle of that over the last month or two for us.

"That was probably the grittiest performance I've seen out of Tiarra this year and right up there in the top five for her career. I just thought she was tremendous. That type of pitch count, 184 pitches, is something we haven't been able to get out of her all year. I thought she stayed very poised and gave us every opportunity to win."

Texas got something going against TXST ace Rupp in the top of the first as Tunning opened the frame with a single to right. After a stolen base and a wild pitch advanced the runner within 60 feet of pay dirt, freshman catcher Taylor Ellsworth stepped to the plate and battled over 10 pitches before striking out to end the threat with no scoring.

A lead-off walk got the Bobcats offense in business opening the bottom of the first against Davis. Left fielder Kimberlin Naivar tried to bunt her teammate into scoring position, but UT's hurler hopped out of the circle quickly to field the ball and cut down the lead runner. A two-out walk to first baseman Taylor Webb put a pair of Bobcats aboard, but a slow roller to third was handled by Texas' Celina Felix to leave two stranded.

After both teams missed early chances, Texas State finally jumped to the lead in the bottom of the second as third baseman Corrina Liscano led off the frame by hitting a solo HR to center to make it 1-0.

During a stretch over the second and third frames, Texas sophomore right fielder Bekah Alcozer, Tunning and freshman second baseman Jade Gortarez each just missed hitting solo HR's by launching shots that were caught at the warning track in either left or center.

A one-out Ellsworth single past third started the eventual tying rally for the Longhorns during the top of the fourth. With the Georgetown, Texas, product at second following a perfect Mickenzi Krpec sac bunt, Hanzel drove the first Rupp pitch she received off the wall in left center for a RBI double to plate Ellsworth and dead-lock the contest at 1-1.

Bidding to take the lead, Washington christened UT's half of the fifth by lining a lead-off double off the glove of TXST first baseman Taylor Webb. Senior center fielder Stephanie Wong followed immediately with a single up the middle and wisely took second on the throw back into the infield. Unfortunately for the Horns, a chopper to short, a strikeout and a Felix liner right to Naivar in left raised the stranded count to five as Texas missed a massive chance to nab the advantage.

The Burnt Orange & White threatened again with two down in the top of the seventh as junior pinch hitter Randel Leahy and Tunning each walked. Once again, Rupp fought her way out of a jam from the circle with a key strikeout to leave two more Longhorns on base.

With the chance to walk the game off in the bottom of the seventh, TXST designated player Jaelyn Young opened the frame with a single through the right side. A sacrifice bunt eventually moved the runner into scoring position, but she never moved another inch as Davis registered her fifth K before getting catcher Sara Rupp to fly out harmlessly to center and force extra innings.

During the extra frames, Texas managed a base runner in each inning from the eighth through the 12th, but it was the Bobcats posting the more dangerous threats.

Texas State loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but watched helplessly as right fielder Kennedy Cline lined into an inning-ending double play with Gortarez snagging the ball and stepping on the second base bag for the force.

In the bottom of the 11th, the Bobcats again packed the bags, this time with two retired. Catcher Sara Rupp stepped to the plate with a chance to end things, but bounced into a fielder's choice to Felix at third.

A lead-off single from Tunning opening the top of the 12th almost paid dividends for the Horns as a sac bunt and a grounder moved the Montgomery, Texas, native within 60 feet of pay dirt. Unfortunately, a harmless fly out to right field left Tunning standing at third and boosted UT's left stranded count to a staggering 12.

Finally, in the bottom of the 12th, Texas State found the game-winning score. With two outs and two Bobcats on via a single and a walk, Webb launched a pitch down into the right field corner for a walk-off double as TXST prevailed, 2-1 (12 inn.).