Softball rolls past Iowa State in Friday DH opener, 8-0 (5 inn.)

Friday, March 30

Ames, Iowa

12:30 p.m.

University of Texas

18-13, 5-0

Iowa State

18-20, 1-4

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

Softball rolls past Iowa State in Friday DH opener, 8-0 (5 inn.)

03.30.2018 | Softball

Box Score

Senior pitcher Paige von Sprecken lost a perfect game bid with one out in the bottom of the fifth

AMES, Iowa – On a cold Friday afternoon at the Cyclone Softball Complex, senior pitcher Paige von Sprecken flirted with a perfect game into the fifth inning and both freshman third baseman MK Tedder and junior right fielder Bekah Alcozer blasted HR's as Texas softball (18-13, 5-0 Big 12 Conference) rolled past Iowa State (18-20, 1-4 Big 12 Conference) in the opener of a league doubleheader, 8-0 (5 inn.).

With the victory, the Burnt Orange & White have now won six consecutive games for the first time since winning six straight from Feb. 18-Feb. 25, 2017. Texas is also a perfect 5-0 in Big 12 Conference action for the seventh time in program history and for the first time since 2013.

In the circle for the Longhorns, von Sprecken took a perfect game into the fifth inning before giving up a one-out hit. The Yorba Linda, Calif., product improved to 7-5 overall with the victory, allowing two hits and striking out six over five shutout innings of work.

At the plate, the Longhorns offense got the leadoff hitter on to start all five at-bats and banged out seven hits, led by Tedder's 2-for-3 effort with a two-run HR, two runs scored and a pair of RBI. Alcozer (1-for-3, three RBIs) blasted her third HR of the season on a three-run shot in the fifth, von Sprecken went 1-for-3 with a two-RBI double and freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson walked, scored twice and recorded a RBI on a groundout.

For the fourth time in five Big 12 games this season, Texas softball managed to score in the first inning. Jefferson got the Longhorns started by drawing a leadoff walk for the second consecutive day against the Cyclones. That set the stage for Tedder, as the Hoover, Ala., native came to the dish and launched a two-run HR down the left field line that stayed just inside the fair pole for a quick 2-0 advantage.

The Burnt Orange & White put up another crooked number during the second after sophomore first baseman Malory Schattle and sophomore shortstop Kaitlyn Slack christened the frame on consecutive walks. With two down following a pair of fielder's choice plays, von Sprecken blasted a bases-clearing, two-RBI double to the wall in center as UT's lead doubled to 4-0.

With von Sprecken having retired all nine Cyclone batters she'd faced through the opening three innings, Texas added an unearned run in the fourth. Slack opened the frame with a high-bouncing single over third before getting retired on a Kay Kay Hayter fielder's choice. UT's speedster from Nacogdoches, Texas, quickly took off on a steal attempt, swiping the bag before moving to third on a Kaylee Bosworth throwing error from behind the plate. Jefferson soon picked up the RBI by plating Hayter on a grounder to short to make it 5-0.

Iowa State shortstop Sami Williams nearly broke up von Sprecken's perfect game bid opening the fourth by hitting a liner to shallow right. Alcozer raced in quickly from her defensive position and preserved the zero in the hit column on a terrific diving grab.

Texas erupted for three more runs in the top of the fifth to boost its advantage to 8-0 as a Tedder single and a Taylor Ellsworth walk were cashed in by Alcozer on a three-run blast to center.

With the run-rule suddenly brought into play during the bottom of the fifth, von Sprecken needed just three more outs to finish off a perfect game. It wasn't to be, however, as Iowa State first baseman Sally Woolpert broke up the bid by driving a one-out single through the right side of the infield for the Cyclones first hit. Third baseman Nychole Antillon followed with a base knock to right and suddenly ISU had its initial threat of the contest underway. The Cyclones eventually boasted runners at the corners with two down before von Sprecken finished the victory off in style by catching pinch hitter Cara Beatty looking at a called strike three.