Softball battles bitter cold to take series opener at Iowa State, 8-5

Thursday, March 29

Ames, Iowa

4 p.m.

University of Texas

17-13, 4-0

Iowa State

18-19, 1-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Texas	3	1	0	1	1	0	2	8	10	3
Iowa State	0	2	0	0	2	1	0	5	8	0

Softball battles bitter cold to take series opener at Iowa State, 8-5

03.29.2018 | Softball

Box Score

Redshirt junior pitcher Erica Wright tied a single-season school record with her fifth save of 2018

AMES, Iowa – With temperatures hovering in the upper 30's and wind chills in the upper 20's, on Thursday evening at the Cyclone Softball Complex, Texas softball (17-13, 4-0 Big 12 Conference) scored four times over the opening two innings and fought off a late charge from Iowa State (18-19, 1-3 Big 12 Conference) in taking the series opener from the Cyclones, 8-5, and starting Big 12 play at a perfect 4-0 for the first time since 2013.

The Longhorns offense registered 10 total hits in the contest, including four of the extra-base variety. Sophomore left fielder Kaitlyn Washington was 2-for-4 with her first HR of the season and two RBIs, sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth was 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs, freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson was 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs scored and a RBI, junior center fielder Kay Kay Hayter was 2-for-4 with two tallies, senior designated player Paige von Sprecken was 1-for-3 with a double and a RBI and freshman third baseman MK Tedder knocked in a run on a sacrifice fly.

In the circle for the Burnt Orange & White, junior Brooke Bolinger (7-4) earned the win, allowing two earned runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts over 4.2 innings. Out of the bullpen, redshirt junior Erica Wright permitted one earned run on three hits with a walk over 2.1 frames of relief in earning her fifth save of the year to tie the Texas single-season school record in the category held by former Longhorns Amy Bradford (2002) and Christa Williams (1998).

"Obviously, it feels good to get the win," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "I really appreciated our energy today. It was really a challenge. We knew it would be with the weather, and we talked about how we couldn't control it, so don't worry about it and continue to fight on. I'm not going to lie, that was one of the coldest days I recall in our playing days. I liked how we continued to focus, but the weather made the game a little bit more challenging in gripping the ball and other things that became a bit of an issue. Again, we continued to compete and got the outcome."

Texas' offense got off to an immediate start against Iowa State starter Brianna Weilbacher in the top of the first as Jefferson, von Sprecken and Tedder all walked to open the game. That set the stage for the Longhorns to leap to an early lead as Ellsworth blasted a two-RBI double down the left field line for a quick 2-0 advantage. With the bags re-packed on a Bekah Alcozer free pass, Washington stepped to the dish and blooped a RBI single to right, plating Tedder to make it 3-0.

Another Jefferson leadoff walk set the stage for more Ellsworth fireworks during the top of the second. The Georgetown, Texas, native missed a HR by mere inches as her drive to left rattled off the top of the wall for a double to score Jefferson all the way from first and boost UT's lead to 4-0.

Iowa State clawed back within two runs in the bottom of the second as a leadoff single from center fielder Taylor Nearad was cashed in on a two-run HR to left center by third baseman Nichole Antillon.

A Hayter leadoff single to short and a von Sprecken walk put Longhorns on the corners with one retired in the fourth as UT bid for more. The advantage soon expanded as Tedder lifted a sacrifice fly to left to easily score Hayter from 60 feet away and boost the gap back to three runs.

With Bolinger keeping things under control from the circle, Texas brought its own long ball into play in the top of the fifth as Washington christened the frame by launching her first HR of the season over the center field wall to make it 6-2.

Shortstop Sami Williams managed Iowa State's first hit since the second-inning outburst by blooping a one-out single to right center in the fifth. A Sydney Stites shot to center bounced off the glove of a leaping Hayter for another hit as ISU boasted two on in the frame. With the Cyclone duo in scoring position after steals, a Kaylee Bosworth bouncer was misplayed, allowing two unearned runs to cross and cut the Iowa State deficit to 6-4. Wright was summoned into the contest with two on and two down and got Texas out of the jam by inducing an Antillon fly ball to left that was squeezed by Washington to end the threat.

Another Cyclone HR trimmed the scoreboard to 6-5 in the sixth as designated player Logan Schaben drove a leadoff solo shot to center. An infield hit and a sacrifice bunt moved the tying run into scoring position with one retired. From there, Wright got a pop-up and allowed a two-out walk before inducing a routine fly out to center to help Texas maintain its one-run advantage.

Looking for some valuable insurance in the top of the seventh, Texas got a Malory Schattle leadoff walk, a Hayter infield single and a stolen base to station two in scoring position with still just one out. Jefferson delivered in the clutch as her base knock into the hole at short allowed Schattle the opportunity to race home with UT's seventh run. One batter later, von Sprecken made it 8-5 by launching a RBI double to the wall in left center.

With one final chance to battle back in the game, Iowa State eventually brought the tying run to the plate with one retired after a UT miscue on a pop-up and an Antillon single. Schaben, who hit a solo shot in the sixth, stepped into the box facing a huge chance and promptly popped a ball up to second for a big second out. From there, Wright got another pop-up, this time to short, to seal the Texas victory.