Softball evens its Big 12 series with a 3-1 victory over No. 17/13 Baylor

Saturday, May 6

Austin, Texas

1 p.m.

University of Texas

30-21, 7-9

#17/13 Baylor

40-11, 12-5

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

Softball evens its Big 12 series with a 3-1 victory over No. 17/13 Baylor

05.06.2017 | Softball

Box Score

Senior pitcher Tiarra Davis scattered five hits and allowed one run in a complete-game triumph

AUSTIN, Texas – On Saturday afternoon in front of the third-largest crowd of the season (1,112) at Red & Charline McCombs Field, key two-out RBIs from senior shortstop Devon Tunning and senior third baseman Celina Felix backed a strong outing from the circle by senior pitcher Tiarra Davis as Texas softball (30-21, 7-9 Big 12 Conference) evened its league series against No. 17/13 Baylor (40-11, 12-5 Big 12 Conference) with a 3-1 victory.

In the circle for the Longhorns, Davis improved to 8-8 overall after scattering five hits, allowing one earned run and striking out five during her eighth complete game of the campaign.

Felix (1-for-3, double, two RBIs) delivered arguably the biggest hit of the game by launching a two-run double to the wall in left center, breaking a tie during a three-run, fifth-inning outburst. Tunning went 2-for-3 at the dish with her team-leading 12th double and tied the match-up at 1-1 on a RBI base knock through the left side. Freshman left fielder Kaitlyn Washington and freshman second baseman Jade Gortarez each went 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored, while rookie catcher Taylor Ellsworth went 1-for-2 with a walk.

"Incredible," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "This group has been working, and they work so hard. A lot of quality things happened last night in Waco, but we didn't get the outcome, and again there was that one-run loss. We just kind of reset and said 'we're taking it back to Austin,' and take advantage of the fact that they have to come and play at our place twice. I love the momentum coming off today and heading into the rubber match tomorrow. Just some tremendous efforts across the board. We're starting to see some lights go on, and it's never too late. Hopefully, we can scratch and claw and get one more tomorrow. That would be significant for the big picture."

The Longhorns got runners on during each of the first two innings as Tunning opened the first with a double while junior designated player Randel Leahy christened the second on a hit-by-pitch. Unfortunately, the Burnt Orange & White couldn't string anything else together against Baylor starter Gia Rodoni as UT left runners at third and second over the opening pair of frames, respectively.

Baylor finally got its first base runner off Davis beginning the top of the fourth as center fielder Jessie Scroggins reached on a Texas infield error. A wild pitch advanced the BU runner within 60 feet of pay dirt with two retired in the frame, but Davis got Lady Bear first baseman Shelby Friudenberg to fly out harmless to left to strand one.

Third baseman Lindsey Cargill and left fielder Maddison Kettler registered Baylor's first two hits of the contest starting the top of the fifth and advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. That set the stage for the Lady Bears to take the lead as catcher Taylor Ellis ripped a RBI single up the middle to make it 1-0. On the play, senior center fielder Stephanie Wong came up firing from center, however, cutting down Kettler attempting to score from second to keep Texas within a single run.

A Gortarez base knock to left put another aboard for the Longhorns with one down in the bottom of the fifth. With the Riverside, Calif., native standing at second after a groundout, Tunning quickly tied things up by lining a two-out, RBI single through the left side to dead-lock the match-up at 1-1. Felix stepped into the box and made it three consecutive hits for the Burnt Orange & White by blasting a two-run double to the wall in left center to grant Texas its first advantage of the day at 3-1.

Meanwhile, Davis settled things back down from the circle for UT in the sixth by retiring the Lady Bears in order on a pair of fly balls and a groundout to first.

With one final chance in the top of the seventh, Baylor got off to a positive start as Friudenberg and Cargill christened the inning with consecutive singles. UT's senior hurler refused to be fazed by the pressure, however, striking out Kettler, getting a foul-out from designated player Shelby McGlaun and catching pinch hitter Sydney Christensen looking at strike three to end the UT victory.