Softball drops Big 12 series finale to No. 24/19 Oklahoma State, 4-1

Sunday, April 22

Austin, Texas

11 a.m.

University of Texas

27-18, 10-3

#24/19 Oklahoma State

34-14, 12-3

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

Softball drops Big 12 series finale to No. 24/19 Oklahoma State, 4-1

04.22.2018 | Softball

Box Score

The Longhorns fall to 27-18 on the season and 10-3 in the Big 12 Conference

AUSTIN, Texas – On Sunday afternoon in front of the largest crowd of the season at Red & Charline McCombs Field (1,103), Texas softball (27-18, 10-3 Big 12 Conference) grabbed a first-inning lead but couldn't hold on as No. 24/19 Oklahoma State (34-14, 12-3 Big 12 Conference) rallied back to take the series rubber match on UT's "Senior Day," 4-1.

Prior to the contest, the Burnt Orange & White honored its four seniors, pitcher Kristen Clark, catcher Randel Leahy, pitcher Erica Wright and pitcher/first baseman Paige von Sprecken.

The Longhorns offense managed to out-hit the strong Cowgirl attack, 6-5, but left seven stranded in the contest. Freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson powered the UT output by tying a career-high with three hits in a 3-for-4 performance with a run scored. With her first-inning leadoff single, the Humble, Texas, native also extended her streak of reaching base safely in Big 12 contests to 13 consecutive games.

Sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth knocked in Texas' lone run on a first-inning RBI single while going 1-for-2 at the plate. Sophomore left fielder Kaitlyn Washington (1-for-3) and junior center fielder Kay Kay Hayter (1-for-3) each managed UT's other base knocks.

In the circle for the Longhorns, Wright (4-3) suffered the loss, allowing three earned runs on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts over 3.1 innings. Junior Brooke Bolinger permitted one tally on two hits with a walk and three K's in 3.2 frames of relief.

After Oklahoma State left two on in the top of the first, Texas jumped to a quick 1-0 lead during the bottom half. Jefferson got things going by beating out an infield single to third to open the frame. In scoring position following a sacrifice bunt and a groundout, the Humble, Texas, product soon raced around to score on Ellsworth's RBI single to right to make it 1-0.

The Longhorns missed a scoring chance in the bottom of the third as base knocks from Jefferson and Washington put two aboard with two down. Ellsworth stepped to the plate facing another big spot and lined out sharply to short as UT left two stranded.

OSU battled back to grab the lead for good, with the strong benefit of some Texas assistance, during the top of the fourth. Two hit batters, a Chelsea Alexander single and a one-out, bases-loaded walk forced in the tying run. Following a Cowgirl foul-out against new reliever Bolinger, All-American third baseman Vanessa Shippy stepped into the box and battled to a full count before driving a two-run single up the middle to boost Oklahoma State to a 3-1 advantage.

With OSU leading 4-1, following a fifth-inning Whitney Whitehorn RBI double, the Longhorns came desperately close to either cutting into their deficit or potentially tying the score during the bottom of the fifth. Singles from Hayter and Jefferson and an Ellsworth walk loaded the bags with two outs for junior pinch hitter Bekah Alcozer. The Belton, Texas, native came to the plate and launched a Samantha Clakley pitch to left center. If the ball drops in, it's likely a two-run or potentially bases-clearing double. Unfortunately for UT, Alexander raced over into the gap and made a game-saving diving grab to preserve OSU's three-run lead.

From there, Clakley closed the door, retiring the last six Longhorns she faced over the sixth and seventh innings to seal the Cowgirl series triumph.