Softball’s stirring rally eliminates Texas State from NCAA Regionals, 6-3

Saturday, May 20

College Station, Texas

6:30 pm

University of Texas

33-25

Texas State

42-17

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

Softball’s stirring rally eliminates Texas State from NCAA Regionals, 6-3

05.20.2017 | Softball

Box Score

The Longhorns (33-25) erupted for six runs in the sixth to advance to Sunday’s championship round

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COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Trailing 3-0 in the sixth inning on Friday night in NCAA College Station Regional action at the Aggie Softball Stadium, Texas softball (33-25) pulled off a stirring comeback by plating six runs while sending 10 batters to the plate in the sixth frame to eliminate Texas State (42-17), 6-3.

With the victory, the Longhorns moved on to "Regional Championship Sunday" where the Burnt Orange & White must defeat No. 9-national seed Texas A&M twice at 1:30 & 4 p.m. CT in order to advance to NCAA Super Regionals.

"I think the saying is third time's the charm, but obviously it took us four," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "Texas State competed their tails off. They have had a great season and obviously, since we have an alumni over there too, that makes it a little bit more special celebrating their season I mean. It's been a challenge every time that we've played them. To come up big tonight, our backs were against the wall and we just kind of kept trying to talk in the huddles about how can we make adjustments. We've been pressing and trying so hard in so many big situations with runners on and you know, hitting is contagious. I think we saw that as soon as we were able to open it up, good things happen. So, [I'm] really, really happy with how we competed. We stayed in it. Our whole goal today was just to really fight through it and get ourselves to Championship Sunday, so really proud of the group."

Freshman right fielder Kaitlyn Washington led the UT offensive charge by going 1-for-3 with a huge three-run, sixth-inning double that broke a 3-3 tie. Rookie left fielder Tuesday DerMargosian was 1-for-3 with a RBI, but what a hit and RBI they were, as the Fort Worth, Texas, native's clutch, two-out infield single tied things up in the sixth. Senior third baseman Celina Felix was 1-for-2 with a key two-run single in the rally, while senior shortstop Devon Tunning and freshman catcher Taylor Ellsworth each went 1-for-3. Senior center fielder Stephanie Wong and senior designated player Mickenzi Krpec both managed key sixth-inning walks during the outburst.

In the circle for Texas, redshirt sophomore Erica Wright (8-7) got the win, allowing just one earned run on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts during a complete-game effort.

Early on in the contest, it was the Texas defense that made its presence felt on the proceedings. With a TXST runner at second and two down during the opening frame, Bobcat first baseman Taylor Webb hit a tailing fly ball down the left field line. From her defensive position in left, DerMargosian raced over well past the foul line and made a diving catch at full extension to bring the inning to an impressive close.

Starting the top of the second, senior first baseman Kelli Hanzel made her own "web gem" play by racing over from her spot at first to catch a foul pop-up right up against the fencing. That may have been a truly important play as the Bobcats eventually got two on with one out on consecutive singles before Wright struck out a pair to leave them stranded.

The Longhorns finally managed their first base runner against TXST starter Quincy Charleston during the bottom of the third as Washington reached second on a throwing error by Bobcat third baseman Corrina Liscano. Unfortunately for the Burnt Orange & White, consecutive ground balls moved the runner as far as third before she was stranded 60 feet from pay dirt.

The third lead-off walk of the contest for Texas State's offense finally came back to haunt UT in the top of the fifth. With catcher Haleigh Davis on first, two Texas errors on the same play, one on a throw to first and the other from the outfield while trying to retire the lead runner at third, allowed Davis the chance to race around and score to make it 1-0. Following a strikeout, left fielder Kimberlin Naivar hit a ball off Wright's glove that was nearly caught on a dive by Tunning at short. Unfortunately, the ball short-hopped off the dirt for a single as second baseman Bailee Carter crossed for a 2-0 advantage.

With Charleston having allowed no Texas hits through five complete, TXST first baseman Taylor Webb boosted the Bobcat lead to 3-0 on a lead-off solo HR to left center.

The Longhorns offense finally roared to life starting their half of the sixth with the assistance of a lead-off walk to Wong. Tunning followed immediately with UT's first hit of the contest by lacing a single the other way to left. After both runners advanced 60 feet on a bouncer to the circle, Felix lined a two-RBI single up the middle to cut the deficit to 3-2. The hit parade continued as Ellsworth blasted a base knock to center to put two on again for the Burnt Orange & White. With the bases loaded on a two-out Krpec walk, DerMargosian stepped to the dish facing a huge spot and delivered by slapping a clutch RBI single to third to tie the game. Washington then cleared the bases by hammering a three-run double to the wall in left center as the Longhorns staked themselves to a 6-3 lead. A liner ended the frame, but not before Texas had scored six times while sending 10 batters to the dish.

From there, Wright shut the door on any Texas State comeback thoughts by retiring the Bobcats in order in the top of the seventh on a fly out to left, a pop-up to short and a foul out to the left of the plate.