Softball loses pitcher’s duel to No. 9/8 Arizona, 2-0

Friday, March 2

Austin, Texas

4:30 p.m.

University of Texas

7-9

#9/8 Arizona

14-1

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

Softball loses pitcher’s duel to No. 9/8 Arizona, 2-0

03.02.2018 | Softball

Box Score

Texas senior starter Paige von Sprecken struck out a season-high eight in the close defeat

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AUSTIN, Texas – On Friday evening in the opener of a three-game series at Red & Charline McCombs Field, senior Paige von Sprecken pitched well in striking out a season-high eight, but Texas softball (7-9) couldn't get its offense untracked in dropping a pitcher's duel to No. 9/8 Arizona (14-1), 2-0.

In the circle, von Sprecken (3-3) was very solid against the powerful Wildcat line-up, allowing just two earned runs on seven hits with no walks and the season-high eight K's.

Texas freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson went 1-for-3 at the plate, and has now successfully reached base in 13 of her 16 career games, while freshman third baseman MK Tedder was 1-for-2 with a double and a seventh-inning walk.

"We've had some close battles prior to this weekend, and you never want to get too focused on outcomes, but instead work on the process," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "We've got to figure out how to scratch and claw and put up a couple of runs. That's something we have to do to get an outcome. The difficult schedule only continues to help if you get a couple of wins in there. We had some opportunities tonight, but unfortunately, we had some big strikeouts in key situations. We have to look at whether the players are putting too much pressure on themselves and in how we string some things together to put more pressure on the defense."

After a dominant first inning from both pitchers, the Wildcats mounted a threat against von Sprecken starting the top of the second. Consecutive singles from catcher Dejah Mulipola and first baseman Alyssa Palomino set UA up with two aboard and none out. Right fielder Aleah Craighton stepped to the dish and promptly made it 1-0 by driving a RBI single right back through the middle. The damage could have been worse, but von Sprecken induced a pair of Arizona groundouts to leave a pair stranded.

Texas tried fighting right back during its half of the second as von Sprecken battled UA starter Taylor McQuillin for a lead-off walk. Tedder soon managed the Longhorns first hit by launching a double to the wall in right center, placing two in scoring position with still no one retired. With one down after a K, left fielder Kaitlyn Washington hit a chopper up the first base line. Arizona's Palomino corralled the ball and managed to cut down von Sprecken at the plate for a big second out. McQuillin soon escaped the massive early jam by recording her second strikeout of the frame.

Jefferson reached for the 13th time in 16 games to begin her career by blooping a single to shallow center with one out in the bottom of the third. The Humble, Texas, native advanced as far as second, but was left right there as McQuillin came through with another key strikeout.

The pitcher's duel launched into full effect during the fourth as von Sprecken improved her K total to six by striking out the Wildcat side.

Another leadoff single got Arizona back in business during the top of the fifth as third baseman Malia Martinez started the frame with a base knock to center. With UA's Jaycee Lindley at second, UT sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth caught the pinch runner straying too far off base and fired a strike to Jefferson to pick Lindley off and clear the bags.

McQuillin also continued to deal from the circle for the Cats, retiring 11 straight Longhorns from the third through the sixth innings.

Looking for insurance in the top of the seventh, Arizona found it as Palomino and Craighton blasted consecutive doubles to the wall in right to make it 2-0.

With one last opportunity to rally in the seventh, Texas got one-out life as Tedder battled McQuillin for a walk. Unfortunately for the Horns, a strikeout and a fly out to right ended UA's two-run triumph.