Softball loses extra-inning thriller at No. 3 Oklahoma, 5-4

Sunday, April 29

Norman, Okla.

1 p.m.

University of Texas

28-21, 0

#3 Oklahoma

44-3, 0

Texas

Oklahoma

Softball loses extra-inning thriller at No. 3 Oklahoma, 5-4

04.29.2018 | Softball

Box Score

Senior right fielder Randel Leahy tied the game on a two-strike, two-out RBI single in the top of the seventh

NORMAN, Okla. – On Sunday afternoon in a thriller in front of 1,708 fans at the OU Softball Complex, Texas softball (28-21, 10-6 Big 12) was down to its last strike but tied the game on a Randel Leahy RBI single and took a short-lived lead on an eighth-inning Malory Schattle solo HR before watching No. 3 Oklahoma (44-3, 15-0 Big 12 Conference) rally back to secure a 5-4 (8 inn.) win.

The Longhorns offense out-hit the Sooners for the second-straight day, 9-7, led by a 3-for-4 effort with a walk from freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson. In the process, the Humble, Texas, native extended her hitting streak to a career-best 12 games and her Big 12 reached base streak to 16 games while raising her Big 12-leading batting average (counting league games only) to a remarkable .566. With a second-inning single, Jefferson also broke the program single-season record for Big 12 hits formerly held by Lindsay Gardner (27 in 2000).

Senior right fielder Leahy was 2-for-3 and delivered a clutch game-tying RBI single with two outs and two strikes in the top of the seventh. Sophomore first baseman Schattle was 1-for-3 and granted the Longhorns a short-lived eighth-inning lead on her second HR of 2018. Senior designated player Paige von Sprecken was 1-for-4 with two runs scored and boosted UT to an early advantage on a two-run, first-inning blast.

Redshirt junior Erica Wright (4-4) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts over four innings of work combining two separate stints in the circle.

For the second straight day, Texas used the long ball to grab an early lead. With freshman third baseman MK Tedder already on first after a one-out walk, von Sprecken stepped into the box and blasted the first offering from OU starter Paige Parker over the wall in left center to boost the Longhorns to a quick 2-0 advantage. The outburst continued unabated as consecutive walks to sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth and Leahy and a Kaitlyn Washington first-pitch single to right loaded the bases and forced a move to the bullpen as Mariah Lopez entered the circle for the Sooners. The decision paid dividends for OU as Lopez registered consecutive strikeouts to minimize UT's damage.

Needing a shutdown inning in the bottom of the first, Wright got just that for the Longhorns, inducing consecutive pop-ups before striking out leading Oklahoma HR hitter Jocelyn Alo.

Jefferson made some program history in the top of the second as her one-out single to center moved her in front of former UT standout Lindsay Gardner for the most single-season Big 12 hits in Texas annals with 28.

OU finally got its first base runner, on a one-out Lea Wodach walk in the bottom of the third, to break up a string of seven straight retired by Wright. Following the fourth Sooner K of the contest, Sydney Romero also earned a free pass to station two aboard with two retired. Shortstop Caleigh Clifton stepped into the box facing a huge spot and promptly grounded into a force play as Jefferson corralled it and tossed to Slack covering second to end the threat.

Texas came close to adding to its lead with two aboard in the top of the fourth as Tedder greeted new reliever Parker Conrad with a long two-out drive to center. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, the drive to center was caught on the warning track by OU's Nicole Pendley.

The Sooners pulled one back in the bottom of the fourth as Alo blasted a solo HR to center to trim OU's deficit to 2-1. A walk to Shay Knighten ended Wright's stay in the circle as junior Brooke Bolinger entered in relief. The move to the bullpen paid off as Knighten was left in scoring position after pinch hitter Reagan Rogers hit a drive that was tracked down at the base of the wall in center by sophomore Tuesday DerMargosian.

OU got the leadoff on to start the bottom of the fifth as Bolinger walked Wodach. The Sooners tried to sac the runner into scoring position, but Bolinger raced out of the circle to corral Eliyah Flores' bunt, turned and cut down the lead runner at second. With two down in the frame, Clifton walked to put two aboard for the dangerous Alo. That set the stage for the battle of the game to that point as Bolinger went to a full count before getting the Oklahoma HR leader swinging.

The Sooners used the long ball to pull even in the bottom of the sixth as Knighten led off the frame with a solo HR to left. The decision was made to bring in von Sprecken in relief of Bolinger, but the new hurler was greeted immediately by a Pendley solo shot to right center as OU nabbed a 3-2 lead.

With Texas in sudden need of a rally, Jefferson and Tedder got the Longhorns off to the right start in the seventh by driving consecutive singles to left field. After a wild pitch moved the duo up 60 feet into scoring position, von Sprecken stepped to the plate and hit a bouncer to third. Romero corralled the ball and managed to catch Jefferson in a rundown, as she was tagged for the first out of the inning. With two retired following a fielder's choice play to third, Leahy battled reliever Paige Lowary over 11 pitches before driving the two-strike, game-tying RBI single up the middle to dead-lock the contest at 3-3.

Wright re-entered the circle for Texas in the bottom of the seventh and rolled through the Sooner line-up one-two-three to send the contest to extra innings.

Things got wild again in the eighth inning as Schattle granted the Longhorns a short-lived 4-3 lead by opening the frame with a solo HR down the left field line.

Alo immediately tied things up during the bottom half, christening the frame with her second solo HR of the game to make it 4-4. OU went on to load the bases with no outs on a walk, a Pendley double down the right field line and a failed fielder's choice play. Texas refused to quit, however, as a 1-2-3 double play got the Burnt Orange & White close to escaping the massive jam. Unfortunately for UT, Wodach followed with a game-winning single through the left side as OU prevailed, 5-4.