Softball splits Friday doubleheader versus No. 24/19 Oklahoma State

Friday, April 20

Austin, Texas

4:30 p.m.

University of Texas

27-16, 10-1

#24/19 Oklahoma State

32-14, 10-3

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

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oklahoma State	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	3	9	0
Texas	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	0

Softball splits Friday doubleheader versus No. 24/19 Oklahoma State

04.20.2018 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The Longhorns took the opener, 3-0, before dropping a 3-1 decision in the nightcap

AUSTIN, Texas – On Friday evening at Red & Charline McCombs Field, Texas softball (27-17, 10-2 Big 12 Conference) knocked off No. 24/19 Oklahoma State (33-14, 11-3 Big 12 Conference) in the opener of a doubleheader, 3-0, before falling to the Cowgirls in the nightcap, 3-1.

The two programs will contest their series finale on Sun., April 22, at 11 a.m. CT live on Longhorn Network. "Senior Day" ceremonies for Kristen Clark, Randel Leahy, Paige von Sprecken and Erica Wright will be held prior to the game at approximately 10:48 a.m. CT.

"I thought Brooke (Bolinger) was outstanding in game one," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "I thought she executed the game plan perfectly, in regards to what we talked about this week, and we came up with some timely hits. Paige in game two…I feel like I'm a broken record saying that she's giving us a chance to win every game she's in. I don't like looking at her record. I feel like she's giving us too good of an effort each game to not get some of those 'W's.' We're having some opportunities offensively, but we're just not quite getting it done. I'm disappointed in that, but we just have to come back to work and get after it.

"Malory Schattle really stood out for making some great defensive plays for us. Bekah (Alcozer) ran down a lot of balls in right field. For Paige, it was just little bloopers, Texas leaguers. It was unfortunate not to get game two. We had some opportunities to cash in, but just didn't get the timely hits."

Game One

In the doubleheader opener, freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson led the UT offense by going 2-for-3 with a key two-run single, while junior right fielder Bekah Alcozer (1-for-3, RBI) blasted her team-leading fifth HR of the season.

Bolinger (11-5) was terrific in the circle for the Longhorns, scattering five hits with three walks and a career-high 11 strikeouts over a complete-game effort.

With Bolinger having struck out five Cowgirls over her opening two innings of work, it was Texas' offense that struck first on the scoreboard. Alcozer stepped to the dish with one out in the bottom of the second and blasted a solo HR to center for a 1-0 lead.

Bidding to answer right back in the third, Oklahoma State got a rally going with two outs as third baseman Vanessa Shippy walked and right fielder Taylor Lynch followed with a bunt single. That was all the Cowgirls could string together, however, as Bolinger got second baseman Madi Sue Montgomery to fly out harmlessly to left.

The Cowgirls got right back in business in the fourth as shortstop Sydney Pennington and designated player Whitney Whitehorn registered back-to-back singles to open the frame. With one down, first baseman Jessi Haffner lifted a short pop-up to the right of the plate. Sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth raced out from behind the dish and nearly made an incredible diving catch, but had the ball pop out of her glove for a hit as OSU loaded the bases. Facing the most serious Cowgirl threat of the contest, UT's starter escaped the jam on back-to-back strikeouts, improving her K total to nine through four frames of effort.

MK Tedder started off Texas' fifth by blooping a ball into shallow center for a single. On the play, OSU center fielder Maddi Holcomb overran the ball for an error as UT's freshman third baseman scampered into scoring position. With runners at second and third and two outs after a Schattle walk and a sac bunt, Jefferson delivered a key two-out hit with a two-RBI single up the middle, staking the Longhorns to a 3-0 advantage.

Meanwhile, Bolinger continued to rack up the K's from the circle, breaking her career-high on her 11th overall strikeout to end the top of the sixth.

Down to its final chance to extend the contest in the top of the seventh, OSU got a two-out Vanessa Shippy walk but nothing else as Bolinger finished off the shutout win.

Game Two

Both Jefferson and von Sprecken led the Texas offense during the nightcap with 2-for-4 efforts at the plate, while in the circle, von Sprecken (10-8) took the loss after allowing three runs on nine hits with a walk and three strikeouts over a complete-game performance.

In the evening's second contest, it was Oklahoma State that jumped to an early lead, putting together a two-out rally in the top of the first. With two on, first baseman Whitney Whitehorn hit a sharp liner up the middle that was almost caught by a leaping Jefferson behind second. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, the ball rattled off the Humble, Texas, product's glove and bounced into left center to make it 1-0.

The Longhorns offense answered right back during the bottom of the first, loading the bases on a von Sprecken single through the right side, a Kaitlyn Washington double down the left field line and an Alcozer walk. That set the stage for Tedder to tie things up the hard way as the Hoover, Ala., native was struck by an Emmie Robertson pitch to force in the tying run.

UT's advantage lasted until the top of the third as Whitehorn delivered another big two-out hit on a RBI blooper down the right field line to boost OSU's advantage to 2-1.

In the circle, von Sprecken and Robertson settled things down from the fourth through the sixth innings with a two-out Jefferson double in the fourth and a one-out Montgomery double in the fifth serving as the lone base runners for either team over that stretch.

The Cowgirls eventually tacked on an insurance run during the top of the seventh as right fielder Taylor Lynch followed up a one-out Shippy triple by dropping a blooper just over the second-base bag to make it 3-1.

From there, Robertson retired the Longhorns in order during UT's half of the seventh to secure an OSU doubleheader split.