Softball loses pitcher’s duel on walk-off HR at No. 18/17 South Carolina, 1-0 (8 inn.)

Tuesday, March 13

Columbia, S.C.

5 p.m.

University of Texas

9-11

#18/17 South Carolina

22-3

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

Softball loses pitcher’s duel on walk-off HR at No. 18/17 South Carolina, 1-0 (8 inn.)

03.13.2018 | Softball

Box Score

The Longhorns offense left eight runners stranded on base in the difficult defeat

COLUMBIA, S.C. – On a chilly Tuesday night at the Carolina Softball Stadium, Texas softball (9-11) managed to out-hit No. 18/17 South Carolina (22-3) but left eight runners stranded before eventually losing on a Krystan White walk-off solo HR in eight innings, 1-0.

The Longhorns out-hit the Gamecocks, 6-4, and got their leadoff hitter on base to start four innings, but couldn't come up with the big hit needed to break through against South Carolina starter Cayla Drotar (11-1).

Junior right fielder Kay Kay Hayter led the way for UT at the plate by going 2-for-4 with a stolen base. Senior pitcher Paige von Sprecken (1-for-3, double), sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth (1-for-3), senior designated player Randel Leahy (1-for-2, double) and sophomore center fielder Tuesday DerMargosian (1-for-2) managed UT's other base knocks.

In the circle for Texas, von Sprecken (3-5) suffered a tough defeat despite throwing a gem, allowing one earned run on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts over 7.0 innings.

After both teams left a runner stranded during the first, Texas got a larger threat underway christening the second as von Sprecken walked and Ellsworth ripped the first pitch she received through the left side. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, UT's left stranded count quickly rose to three as Drotar escaped the two-on, no-out jam on a strikeout and a pair of groundouts.

Meanwhile, von Sprecken was in charge from the circle, retiring seven straight Gamecock hitters from the first through the third frames until allowing a two-out walk to shortstop Kenzi Maguire. The Yorba Linda, Calif., native quickly ended the third, however, recording her second strikeout by getting second baseman Mackenzie Boesel swinging.

South Carolina got its most serious scoring chance of the contest to that point started in the bottom of the fifth. Following a walk, Gamecock first baseman Krystan White blasted a single to right field. Hayter raced over to corral the ball, turned quickly and fired a strike to third as freshman MK Tedder tagged out pinch runner Jordyn Augustus for a huge second out. A routine bouncer to first was soon handled by sophomore Malory Schattle as SC missed a big opportunity to take the lead.

Texas got off to another solid start in the sixth as von Sprecken drove a shot just inside the first base line and down into the corner for a one-out double. Eventually, with the go-ahead run standing just 60 feet from pay dirt, junior Bekah Alcozer was summoned off the bench to pinch hit and hit a chopper to deep short. South Carolina's Kenzi Maguire scooped the ball and just got Alcozer by a step at first to end the threat with no damage.

Leahy opened UT's seventh inning by lacing a double down the third-base line and was soon joined on the base paths by Schattle on a hit-by-pitch. That set the stage for another huge defensive play as Texas freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson stepped to the dish and hit a sharp grounder to second. SC's Boesel made the grab and tagged Schattle heading to second before tossing wildly to first. With White scrambling for the ball behind the first-base bag, Leahy paused briefly before heading for the plate. White had just enough time to recover and fire a strike to the plate with Alyssa VanDerveer applying an inning-ending tag on a head first-sliding Leahy.

The Longhorns got its leadoff hitter on for the fourth time in the contest opening the eighth as Hayter beat out an infield base knock to the circle. With two down, UT's junior speedster took off and swiped second before moving to third on an errant throw into center field. Once again, Texas couldn't register the big hit to take the lead as Ellsworth hit a sharp groundout to second to conclude another threat.

Given another chance to end the contest, the Gamecocks did just that in the bottom of the eighth as White led-off the frame by driving a 2-2 offering over the wall in left for a walk-off HR to finalize a 1-0 triumph.