Softball bounces back to roll past Houston in Puerto Vallarta, 7-3

Saturday, February 17

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

5 p.m.

University of Texas

4-4

Houston

4-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Texas	0	0	3	2	2	0	0	7	11	1
Houston	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	8	3

Softball bounces back to roll past Houston in Puerto Vallarta, 7-3

02.17.2018 | Softball

Box Score

The Longhorns offense banged out a season-high 11 hits in the victory over the Cougars

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – Texas softball (4-4) wrapped up its three-day stay at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge by managing a season-high 11 hits in rolling past Houston (4-4) on Saturday evening at Nancy Almaraz Stadium, 7-3.

Freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson hit safely in her eighth-consecutive game, setting a new Longhorns mark for the longest hitting streak to start a UT career. In registering a 2-for-4 effort with a run and two RBIs, the Humble, Texas, product broke the old school mark of seven games formerly held by second baseman Stephanie Ceo (set in Feb. 2013) and raised her team-leading season totals to a .522 batting average with 12 hits and seven RBIs.

Sophomore shortstop Kaitlyn Slack contributed a 2-for-3 performance at the plate with a run scored and two RBIs, sophomore left fielder Kaitlyn Washington was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, sophomore center fielder Tuesday DerMargosian went 2-for-4 with a pair of tallies, junior designated player Kay Kay Hayter knocked in a run and sophomore pinch hitter Malory Schattle doubled in her only at-bat.

In the circle for the Burnt Orange & White, redshirt junior Erica Wright (1-2) picked up her first victory of the season by allowing two earned runs on eight hits with no walks and five strikeouts over a complete-game performance.

Houston jumped to an early lead against Wright during the bottom of the second as a Sarah Queen lead-off single was cashed in on a two-out HR to left from shortstop Mariah Garcia.

Texas answered right back in the top of the third as consecutive singles from Slack and junior right fielder Bekah Alcozer (1-for-2, run) put two on with no outs. That set the stage for Jefferson's first RBI single of the evening as she ripped a shot through the left side of the infield. Houston left fielder Kaylin Crumpton corralled the ball but her throw to third proved wild for an error as Alcozer followed Slack across the plate to tie the contest at 2-2. Hayter followed immediately with a RBI chopper to short as Jefferson raced home from 60 feet away to grant the Longhorns a one-run advantage.

With Wright settling in from the circle, UT improved its lead to 7-2 by posting two more runs in both the fourth and fifth innings.

In the fourth, consecutive singles from Washington and DerMargosian to open the frame were followed by Slack and Jefferson RBI base knocks.

It was a two-out scoring outburst for the Horns in the fifth as hits from Washington and DerMargosian, as well as two key Houston fielding miscues, led to a pair of unearned tallies as the Burnt Orange & White secured a commanding five-run advantage.

Wright didn't run into serious trouble again until the sixth as Houston got a lead-off Sarah Barker bunt single and a two-out double from first baseman Tierrah Williams. UT's hurler got out of the jam, however, with the benefit of a great play at third by MK Tedder. Texas' freshman at the hot corner stabbed at a sharp bouncer, made the grab and tossed across the diamond to save two potential UH runs from scoring.

Singles from catcher Brooke Vannoy and second baseman Arielle James and a UT throwing error from the outfield combined for an unearned run as UH clawed within four at 7-3. That was all the Cougars would get, however, as Wright finished off her first complete game of 2018 on a Barker flyout to center.