Softball’s winning streak ends at seven in a 3-1 loss at Houston

Tuesday, April 3

Houston, Texas

6:30 p.m.

University of Texas

19-14

Houston

23-12

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

Softball’s winning streak ends at seven in a 3-1 loss at Houston

04.03.2018 | Softball

Box Score

The Longhorns brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate twice during a seventh-inning rally

HOUSTON, Texas – A three-run, first-inning HR proved the difference for Houston (23-12), on Tuesday night at the Cougar Softball Stadium, as UH ended Texas softball's (19-14) seven-game winning streak, 3-1.

The Longhorns offense managed four hits and left five base runners stranded in the contest with freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson (1-for-3, run), senior designated player Paige von Sprecken (1-for-3), sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth (1-for-3) and sophomore left fielder Kaitlyn Washington registering singles. Freshman third baseman MK Tedder was credited with UT's lone RBI on a first-inning groundout.

In the circle for the Burnt Orange & White, junior Brooke Bolinger (8-5) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts over four innings. Senior Kristen Clark was strong in relief, permitting two hits and striking out one over two scoreless frames.

"I don't think we made adjustments quick enough at the plate," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "That's what we talked about postgame. We made some, and I thought we looked better down the stretch and definitely had some better at-bats in the seventh inning, but we've got to make quicker adjustments. I thought that was key tonight."

Texas offense kicked right into gear against Houston's Savannah Heebner starting the top of the first as Jefferson led-off by beating out a bunt single before von Sprecken dumped a base knock just inside the right field line. With runners at the corners and no one out, Tedder stepped to the plate and granted UT a quick 1-0 lead on a RBI groundout to second. With Ellsworth also on board on an infield hit, the damage could have been more but a strikeout and a bouncer back to the circle left two Longhorns stranded.

Bidding for an immediate answer during the bottom half, second baseman Arielle James opened Houston's initial at-bat by driving a double to right center. With Texas close to escaping the jam after a strikeout and a fly out to left, UH third baseman Sarah Queen joined her teammate on the base paths via walk. That set the stage for the Cougars to grab the lead as first baseman Kelli Montgomery drove a three-run HR just inside the left field foul pole to make it 3-1.

With Heebner keeping Texas' bats in check to the tune of two base runners, both via error, from the second through the fifth innings, the Cougars started off their half of the fifth against reliever Clark with back-to-back singles. Washington caught a runner at third, however, on a strong throw from left field for an important first out. From there, consecutive pop-ups got the Horns out of a jam as UH's left stranded count expanded to six.

Faced with one final chance to get back in the contest, Texas put together a spirited seventh-inning rally. With one out, Washington singled through the left side and sophomore first baseman Malory Schattle followed with a walk to put two on with still just one retired. That's when misfortune struck as a Kaitlyn Slack bouncer, that appeared to be heading through the right side of the infield for a hit, struck a leaping Schattle for the second out of the frame. With two still aboard, junior center fielder Kay Kay Hayter hit a towering fly ball to right but it was tracked down to end both UT's rally and the contest.