Softball victimized by seventh-inning rally in 8-5 loss to No. 21 Ohio State

Saturday, February 24

Austin, Texas

5:30 p.m.

University of Texas

6-7

#21 Ohio State

10-1

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

Softball victimized by seventh-inning rally in 8-5 loss to No. 21 Ohio State

02.24.2018 | Softball

Box Score

UT’s Kaitlyn Slack, Paige von Sprecken and Tuesday DerMargosian registered single RBIs in the defeat

AUSTIN, Texas – Down to its final out in the top of the seventh inning on Saturday night in Texas Invitational action at Red & Charline McCombs Field, No. 21 Ohio State (10-1) got a grand slam off the bat of second baseman Emily Clark to complete a late rally past Texas softball (6-7), 8-5.

The Longhorns offense managed seven hits in the contest, led by a 2-for-2 effort from junior left fielder Kay Kay Hayter. Senior first baseman Paige von Sprecken went 1-for-3 with a run and a RBI, sophomore center fielder Tuesday DerMargosian was 1-for-4 with a RBI and sophomore shortstop Kaitlyn Slack also registered a RBI.

In the circle for the Burnt Orange & White, junior Brooke Bolinger (2-2) suffered the tough loss in relief, allowing four earned runs on three hits with a walk and two strikeouts over 2.1 innings. Senior right-hander Kristen Clark started for Texas and permitted two earned tallies on four hits with three strikeouts during 4.2 frames.

A one-out error came back to hurt the Longhorns by prolonging the top of the first and leading to a pair of unearned runs as first baseman Ashley Goodwin blasted a two-out, two-run HR down the left field line to grant the Buckeyes a 2-0 lead.

Texas got off to a positive start in the bottom of the first while attempting to respond back as freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson and Hayter christened the frame with back-to-back singles. Freshman third baseman MK Tedder eventually walked with two down to load the bases full of Longhorns, but a strikeout left the Burnt Orange & White trio stranded.

The top two in UT's line-up wreaked more havoc against the Buckeyes in the bottom of the third as an error on a Jefferson bouncer and a Hayter infield single put the speedy duo on board with no outs. Sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth was called upon to sacrifice and did her job by dropping a perfect bunt up the third base line. Ohio State third baseman Niki Carver fielded the ball, and in an attempt to retire the lead runner at third, tossed the ball away into right field as Jefferson scored to cut Texas' deficit to 2-1. The outburst soon continued as von Sprecken laced a RBI single up the middle, plating Hayter easily to tie things up. After a nine-pitch Tedder battle ended in a walk to load the bases, Slack pushed Texas to a lead on a sacrifice fly to left. The Horns added two more on another OSU error and a DerMargosian single as UT ended the frame leading 5-2.

Meanwhile, Clark was having solid success against the Buckeyes from the circle, retiring nine-of-11 batters over a stretch from the second through the fourth innings.

Unfortunately for the Burnt Orange & White, a lead-off double by Ohio State left fielder Megan McMenemy in the fifth was cashed in with two down on shortstop Lilli Piper's two-run blast to left as UT's advantage was trimmed to 5-4.

Texas put together another big threat against reliever Morgan Ray in the bottom of the fifth as a Slack walk, a Ciera Schick single and a Jefferson free pass loaded the bases with two retired. The bases would get left full of Longhorns, though, as a strikeout ended the scoring chance with no damage.

The decisive OSU rally came in the top of the seventh as a pair of singles and an intentional walk packed the bags full of Buckeyes with two retired. That set the stage for Clark's fireworks as the second baseman homered just inside the left field foul pole to push Ohio State to an 8-5 lead.

Suddenly facing one final opportunity to extend the contest, Texas got a two-out Kaitlyn Washington single up the middle, but nothing else as OSU completed the comeback triumph.