Softball drops a close contest to No. 1/3 Washington, 2-1

Wednesday, February 21

Austin, Texas

6:30 p.m. CT

University of Texas

4-5

#1/3 Washington

13-0

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

Softball drops a close contest to No. 1/3 Washington, 2-1

02.21.2018 | Softball

Box Score

The Longhorns held the powerful Huskies to their lowest run total of the season in the defeat

AUSTIN, Texas – After an hour-and-a-half rain delay, Texas softball (4-5) banged out six hits and held No. 1/3 Washington (13-0) to its lowest offensive output of the season in dropping a nail-biter to the Huskies on Wednesday night at Red & Charline McCombs Field, 2-1.

Prior to tonight's contest, the lowest run total for UW this season over 12 games had been seven runs during a 7-0 win over Wichita State (Feb. 18) as the Huskies were averaging 11.1 runs-per-game. The Longhorns also managed six hits and a run off Washington starting pitcher Taran Alvelo, who entered Wednesday's game having allowed zero runs and only seven total hits over 26 combined innings of work in 2018.

Senior right-hander Paige von Sprecken was terrific in the circle for the Horns, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with no walks and four strikeouts over 6.0 innings of work. Junior lefty Brooke Bolinger struck out one during a perfect seventh inning of relief.

At the plate, freshman third baseman MK Tedder went 1-for-3 while knocking in Texas' lone run on a sixth-inning RBI single to right. Sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth (run scored), von Sprecken (double), sophomore left fielder Kaitlyn Washington, sophomore center fielder Tuesday DerMargosian and senior designated player Randel Leahy all went 1-for-3 at the dish.

Top-ranked Washington's powerful offense tried roaring to life with one down in the top of the first as shortstop Sis Bates and first baseman Kirstyn Thomas registered consecutive singles to station runners at the corners. In the circle for the Longhorns, von Sprecken battled her way out of the jam with a strikeout of left fielder Julia DePonte before handling a Maggie Gallagher bouncer back to the circle to leave the duo stranded.

The Longhorns got their initial base runner of the contest via error with one out in the bottom of the first as junior right fielder Kay Kay Hayter hit a slap to third that was misplayed. Unfortunately for the Burnt Orange & White, a strikeout and a von Sprecken fly out to center ended an eventful opening frame with no scoring.

With von Sprecken keeping UW's offense relatively quiet, Leahy managed Texas' first hit of the contest during the third by ripping a one-out single to left. Freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson made it a threat by stepping to the plate and fouling off pitch-after-pitch from Alvelo before drawing a nine-pitch walk to put a pair on base. UW's ace proved up to the task, however, with consecutive strikeouts to escape the jam.

For the first time in the contest, Washington got its lead-off batter on to start the fifth as right fielder Trysten Melhart beat out an infield single up the first base line. After a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Taylor Van Zee ripped a single through the right side. Texas' Hayter corralled the ball and fired a strike to Ellsworth at the plate, but obstruction was called as UT's catcher was ruled to be preventing a clear path to the runner. Melhart was awarded home on the play to grant the Huskies a 1-0 advantage.

Trying to get something going for the Horns in the fifth, DerMargosian slapped a clean, one-out single to shallow left field. With two aboard after a stolen base and another Jefferson walk, Hayter came to the dish facing a big opportunity. The Nacogdoches, Texas, native slapped a promising liner up the third-base line, but Van Zee made a terrific catch right off the dirt to end UT's threat.

A Thomas lead-off triple opening the sixth and an immediate Julia DePonte double off the wall in left combined for UW's vital second run as the Huskies grabbed a 2-0 lead.

Ellsworth got the sixth off to the right type of start for the Horns by launching a lead-off single into the right center gap. After battling the count full at 3-2, von Sprecken laced a double just inside the left field line and down into the corner as Texas boasted two on with still no one out. Alvelo fought back with a strikeout to get closer to battling her way clear of the jam. The junior hurler wouldn't completely escape, however, as Tedder drove a RBI single through the right side of the infield, plating Ellsworth to cut the Huskies advantage in half at 2-1. Alvelo did get the next two Longhorns swinging as UT missed its chance to draw even or potentially take the lead.

That was as close as Texas could get against the top-ranked team as the Burnt Orange & White went down in order in the bottom of the seventh.

Texas Postgame Quotes

Texas Head Coach Connie Clark

On her team's play against #1 Washington: Well, I think it is part of the measuring stick early in the season. We've got a tough schedule. We've talked about that, and that it doesn't get any easier. I think the key for us is just to continue to get better. I think if we can keep getting better, some good things are going to happen for us. We can't really get consumed with records, we just need to get consumed with building our confidence up and knowing there is another opportunity two days from now.

On senior pitcher Paige von Sprecken: She just competes. I mean she wants the ball. Paige is great athletically for us too, and she's figuring out how to pitch a great inning and then be able to come in and change gears when she is going to swing the bat, because that is always a great challenge. I think she is just a competitor for us and plans to go out on a high note as a senior.

On the current state of the offense: I think we are making progress. We don't ever like 10 strikeouts in a game and seven left on base. We had some opportunities obviously, but we just didn't have a runner at third when we got the long fly ball and less than two outs and some of those types of things. I think tonight was a confidence boost for us. I think (Taran) Alvelo is a quality pitcher, and I think we have continued to get better. We have seen some very good pitchers in this short, brief time of our season so far. I think the take away needs to be confidence and knowing that we can continue to get better and go toe-to-toe with some of the best.

Senior pitcher/first baseman Paige von Sprecken

On how she threw tonight: They're a really strong team, and we knew going into (tonight's game) that they are obviously ranked number one, so we just wanted to come out and play our best. I really just trusted Taylor's (Ellsworth) pitch calling, and she and I were really grooving tonight. I just feel like we were mixing in off-speeds to keep them off balance, and that really was the most successful part of tonight.

On what's different in her pitching from last season: I think I am really confident right now. I am just trying to trust my stuff and believe I can win these games. And I think that's been a piece that's been missing for me lately. I am really just going out there - you know this is my last season - so I am pretending like every game is my last. I'm just being really grateful for my opportunities.

On going toe-to-toe with one of best teams in the country: Tonight's effort feels great for us. It will give us a lot of momentum going into the weekend. We play some more ranked teams, so we really want to keep it up and show that we can hang with the top teams in the nation.