Softball blanks No. 20 Michigan at the Texas Invitational, 3-0

Friday, February 23

Austin, Texas

6 p.m.

University of Texas

5-5

#20 Michigan

6-5

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

Softball blanks No. 20 Michigan at the Texas Invitational, 3-0

02.23.2018 | Softball

Box Score

Junior lefty Brooke Bolinger fired her first career shutout & sophomore Taylor Ellsworth hit a three-run HR

AUSTIN, Texas – Junior starter Brooke Bolinger's first UT shutout and sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth's three-run, third-inning HR proved plenty for Texas softball (5-5) on Friday night in Texas Invitational action at Red & Charline McCombs Field as the Longhorns blanked No. 20 Michigan (6-5), 3-0.

From the circle, Bolinger (2-1) scattered five hits, walked just two and struck out seven in tossing her second complete game of 2018.

Ellsworth powered the Texas offensive attack by going 2-for-2 at the dish with her second HR of the season and three RBIs. Freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson went 1-for-3 with a run scored to extend her streak of reaching base safely to 10 consecutive games. Sophomore left fielder Kaitlyn Washington (1-for-2) and sophomore first baseman Malory Schattle (1-for-2, run) each managed a base knock for the Longhorns.

After Texas left a runner in scoring position following an error during the opening frame, No. 20 Michigan got a major threat of its own underway against Bolinger in the top of the second. A fielding miscue on designated player Amanda Vargas' liner, a Katie Alexander single to left and a failed run down on a fielder's choice try while attempting to force a runner at the plate loaded the bags for the Wolverines with just one retired. Bolinger managed to battle her way out of a big jam with the help of her defense as sophomore Kaitlyn Slack made a pair of plays at short, including one that cut down a lead runner at the plate, to keep the contest scoreless.

UM threatened again during the second frame, getting a pair on the base paths via a lead-off bunt single and a one-out hit-by-pitch. Bolinger was again up to the task, working out of another tough spot by handling a pop-up to the circle before recording her fourth K.

The Longhorns got on the board hit-wise during the bottom of the third as Schattle christened the frame with a high bouncing single to third. Jefferson stepped to the plate and laced a one-out base knock up the middle to place runners on the corners. That set the stage for long ball fireworks as Ellsworth launched a towering three-run shot to left to boost Texas to a 3-0 advantage.

Needing to put together a rally, Michigan successfully loaded the bases again with two outs in the fifth on a Natalie Peters single and two walks. Pinch hitter Aidan Falk briefly made Burnt Orange & White hearts skip a beat by driving a 0-1 pitch deep to right that drifted just foul. Granted another life, Bolinger wasted no time dispatching the batter on the Yucaipa, Calif., native's sixth K of the night as the Wolverines missed another huge opportunity while expanding their stranded count to nine.

In the top of the seventh, Peters granted Michigan brief hope by slapping a one-out base hit to deep short. Bolinger quickly closed out her first Texas shutout, however, by inducing a fly ball to left and a pop-up to second.