Softball falls in extra innings to Wisconsin, 7-3 (8 inn.)

Saturday, February 10

Austin, Texas

3:30 p.m.

University of Texas

2-2

Wisconsin

1-2

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

Softball falls in extra innings to Wisconsin, 7-3 (8 inn.)

02.10.2018 | Softball

Box Score

The Badgers tied the contest on a RBI single with two outs in the top of the seventh inning

AUSTIN, Texas – On Saturday night in Texas Classic action at Red & Charline McCombs Field, Texas softball (2-2) got within one out of a victory before allowing a game-tying RBI single and eventually falling to Wisconsin (1-2) in extra innings, 7-3 (8 inn.).

With the Horns leading 3-2 and two outs in the top of the seventh, Texas starter Erica Wright allowed a game-tying RBI single to right fielder Gabby Scherle. Having opened the top of the eighth with the international tiebreaker rule in effect, the Badgers added four more runs with the big blow coming on a two-run Stephanie Lombardo HR.

Wright suffered the loss in her 2018 debut, allowing five earned runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts over 7.1 frames.

At the plate, the Burnt Orange & White banged out eight total hits with sophomore shortstop Kaitlyn Slack (2-for-3, RBI), sophomore left fielder Kaitlyn Washington (2-for-3, run, RBI) and senior first baseman Paige von Sprecken (2-for-4, run, double, RBI) leading the way. Freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson went 1-for-4 at the dish with her third double of the early campaign.

Texas struck first on the scoreboard during the bottom of the second by securing a 1-0 advantage. With two runners aboard on a von Sprecken lead-off single, a Washington fielder's choice and a MK Tedder walk, Slack stepped to the dish with two retired and chopped a RBI base knock through the left side.

Early on, Wright was in firm control of the Badgers from the circle, retiring nine of the first 10 batters she faced over the opening three frames.

Jefferson continued her remarkable offensive production for the Longhorns by starting the bottom of the third with a double to shallow left center. That set the stage for two-out offensive fireworks as von Sprecken laced a RBI double just inside the left field line and Washington blasted a run-scoring single up the middle to boost UT's advantage to 3-0.

A lead-off walk came back to hurt the Burnt Orange & White in the top of the fourth as Wisconsin third baseman Taylor Johnson broke up Wright's hit-free start by launching a two-run HR to left to cut UW's deficit to a single tally. The Badgers kept up the pressure as catcher Melanie Cross and Lombardo delivered consecutive one-out singles. UT's right hander worked her way out of any further trouble, however, by registering a strikeout and inducing a liner to third.

With the Longhorns clinging to their one-run lead in the top of the seventh, Wisconsin first baseman Lauren Foster opened UW's last chance at-bat by driving a lead-off single to right. Following a sacrifice bunt that moved the runner into scoring position with one down, Wright punched out pinch hitter Reilly Peters for her fifth strikeout. The third out just wouldn't materialize for Texas, however, as Scherle bounced a game-tying RBI single through the left side of the infield to knot the score at 3-3.

Starting the top of the eighth with the international tiebreaker rule in place, Wisconsin got RBI doubles from Cross and Peters as well as a two-run HR off Lombardo's bat to grab a commanding 7-3 advantage.

Facing a final opportunity to extend the contest, the Horns got a Jefferson stolen base, but that's all as UT's batting trio went down in order against UW's Kaitlyn Menz.