Softball blanks No. 25 Texas State, 3-0

Wednesday, March 21

Austin, Texas

6 p.m.

University of Texas

13-13

#25/RV Texas State

22-8

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

03.21.2018 | Softball

Box Score

Senior pitcher Paige von Sprecken tossed a three-hit shutout while also knocking in a run at the plate

AUSTIN, Texas – On a beautiful Wednesday night at Red & Charline McCombs Field, senior hurler Paige von Sprecken fired a three-hit shutout and knocked in a run while sophomore shortstop Kaitlyn Slack delivered a two-run double to help power Texas softball (13-13) to a shutout of No. 25/RV Texas State (22-8), 3-0.

Having already played the toughest non-conference schedule in all of NCAA Division I (296 teams) to this point, UT's match-up against the ranked Bobcats marked Texas' 15th out of 26 games this season against a squad either ranked or receiving votes at the time of meeting.

In the circle for the Longhorns, von Sprecken improved to 5-5 overall after allowing just three hits with five walks and seven strikeouts over seven shutout innings of work.

Slack led the charge at the dish with a key two-run, fourth-inning double as part of a 1-for-2 effort, while von Sprecken was 1-for-3 with a RBI, sophomore left fielder Kaitlyn Washington was 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored and junior right fielder Bekah Alcozer was 1-for-3 with a two-bagger.

"I think tonight was big for us," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "It's big for our confidence heading into Big 12 Conference play this weekend. That's something we talked about. When you're in our sport, it's a grind. You can't stay down too long. You have to keep continuing your reset and figure out how to grow and get better. We had a quality practice yesterday and were able to work through some things. I thought we played solidly all the way around tonight, had good energy and were able to make the adjustments we needed to make offensively. We tweaked the line-up a little bit to try to get some run production going, and I like how that worked out. It set them up to build a little more confidence heading into a conference season where you're 0-0."

Over the opening two frames, Texas got a first-inning leadoff single from freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson and a one-out double to the wall in right center from Alcozer in the second, but couldn't string together enough to jump to an early lead against Texas State All-American pitcher Randi Rupp.

Meanwhile for UT, after allowing a leadoff bunt single to Texas State left fielder Brianna Sannem, von Sprecken got into cruise control from the circle by retiring the next eight Bobcats she faced over the initial three frames with three strikeouts.

A Bobcat fielding miscue opened the door for the Longhorns to secure the lead in the bottom of the third. With junior center fielder Kay Kay Hayter standing at second following a Texas State fielding error and a sacrifice bunt, von Sprecken helped her own cause by ripping a two-out RBI single up the middle to make it 1-0.

The Burnt Orange & White threatened again with two outs in the fourth as another Bobcat error and a Malory Schattle walk put two on for UT. That set the stage for a big hit as Slack stepped to the dish and cleared the bases with a two-RBI double to left center to boost Texas' advantage to 3-0.

Texas State got its most serious threat of the game going in the top of the fifth as an Ariel Ortiz leadoff walk and a Tara Oltmann base knock through the middle put two on with no outs. That's when Texas' defense made two huge contributions, managing consecutive fielder's choice plays including one from von Sprecken to sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth that cut down Ortiz at the plate. The Bobcats would eventually load the bases on a walk, but von Sprecken fought out of the jam by registering her fifth strikeout of the game on a K of pinch hitter Kourtney Pock.

Consecutive two-out walks to first baseman Hailey MacKay and Ortiz got Texas State back in business during the top of the sixth. Once again, von Sprecken escaped unscathed as the senior hurler got Oltmann to bounce out to Jefferson at second to end the frame.

Down to one last chance, the Bobcats got off to a positive start in the seventh as third baseman Bailee Carter walked and catcher Haleigh Davis followed with a bloop single to center. That was all Texas State could get off von Sprecken, however, as a liner to second, a sacrifice bunt and her seventh strikeout ended UT's win.