Softball falls in its series finale to No. 9/8 Arizona, 10-2

Sunday, March 4

Austin, Texas

11 a.m.

University of Texas

8-10

#9/8 Arizona

15-2

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

Softball falls in its series finale to No. 9/8 Arizona, 10-2

03.04.2018 | Softball

Box Score

Sunday’s game was Texas’ 13th against a team either ranked or receiving votes in the national polls

AUSTIN, Texas – On a rain-plagued Sunday afternoon at Red & Charline McCombs Field, No. 9/8 Arizona (15-2) scored in the second, fourth, fifth and seventh innings to secure the series rubber match from Texas softball (8-10), 10-2.

The Longhorns registered five hits off Wildcats pitching, led by a 1-for-2 effort with a two-run HR from junior designated player Bekah Alcozer. Freshman third baseman MK Tedder (1-for-2, walk), senior pitcher Paige von Sprecken (1-for-3), sophomore left fielder Kaitlyn Washington (1-for-2) and sophomore center fielder Tuesday DerMargosian (1-for-3) managed UT's other base knocks.

In the circle, von Sprecken (3-4) suffered the loss, allowing five earned runs on three hits with three walks and a strikeout over 3.0 innings of work.

After Texas left a runner in scoring position during the opening frame, it was Arizona that struck first in Sunday's series finale. UT's starter von Sprecken had retired the first five Wildcats she faced until issuing a walk to UA catcher Dejah Mulipola. The free pass quickly came back to haunt the Longhorns as third baseman Malia Martinez hit a two-run HR to center to push the Cats to an early 2-0 advantage.

At that point, light rain began falling harder at McCombs Field, forcing a delay as of 11:34 a.m. CT that lasted for 46 minutes.

Once play resumed, von Sprecken induced a harmless fly ball to center from Arizona's Hillary Edior to end an almost hour-long top of the second inning.

A pair of walks and an Aleah Craighton single up the middle got the Wildcat offense in business by loading the bases starting the top of the fourth. The call was made to summon in junior Brooke Bolinger from the Texas bullpen facing a difficult spot, and the Yucaipa, Calif., native appeared to have a strikeout of Martinez. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, an illegal pitch was called, and granted another opportunity at the plate, UA's third baseman immediately bounced a two-RBI single up the middle to make it 4-0. Arizona would add another run on a wild pitch before a line drive double play to von Sprecken at first ended the inning with no further scoring.

Texas mounted its first threat of the contest during the bottom of the fourth as Tedder walked, von Sprecken singled on a line drive to right and Washington was struck by a pitch to load the bases. With two outs in the frame, McQuillin managed to escape the jam on a swinging strikeout as the Longhorns missed a big opportunity to climb back in the game.

Arizona added another run in the fifth as first baseman Alyssa Palomino and Craighton blasted back-to-back doubles to boost the UA advantage to six runs.

With the Longhorns in need of offense, Tedder supplied some by driving a one-out single through the left side in the bottom of the sixth. That was all Texas would get off McQuillin as a strikeout and a bouncer up the first base line ended the inning.

In the top of the seventh, the Wildcats got a Palomino RBI double, a bases-loaded walk, a Martinez RBI single and a sacrifice fly to finalize their offensive output at 10 runs.

Texas refused to quit against UA reliever Alyssa Denham during the bottom of the seventh as Washington kicked-off the frame with a sharp single to center. That set the stage for a few offensive fireworks as Alcozer blasted a two-run HR to left to cut UT's deficit to 10-2. The Horns would continue the rally briefly on a DerMargosian single, but Denham induced a pair of fly ball outs to conclude the match-up.