The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
21-14
Samford
12-27
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samford | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Texas | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | X | 15 | 14 | 0 |
Softball sweeps a doubleheader from Samford, 15-2 (5 inn.) & 1-0
04.07.2018 | Softball
The Longhorns have now won 10 of their last 11 contests dating back to March 21
AUSTIN, Texas – On a brutally cold and windy Saturday at Red & Charline McCombs Field, Texas softball (22-14) got an offensive onslaught in the opener and a clutch pitching performance from senior Paige von Sprecken in the finale to sweep a non-conference doubleheader from Samford (12-28), 15-2 (5 inn.) and 1-0.
For the day, the Burnt Orange & White batted .404 as a team with nine different Longhorns registering at least one hit. Reigning Big 12 Conference Player of the Week Kaitlyn Washington continued to swing a hot bat, hitting .667 (4-for-6) over the two match-ups with a RBI. During the doubleheader, freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double and three RBIs while extending her streak of reaching base safely to 16 consecutive games. In addition to her work in the circle, von Sprecken went 2-for-5 at the plate with three runs, two doubles and a team-leading four RBIs.
"Obviously, today was a tale of two games," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "Conditions were tough. I felt like it was similar to what we felt at Iowa State. I thought we did a nice job in the early game with pitch selection identification. We didn't chase stuff out of the zone. (Their pitcher) was struggling bringing the ball over the plate, so it was good to see that the majority of our hitters weren't chasing. We had a lot of opportunities with base runners and opened things up a little there.
"In game two, we needed everything our ace could give us in Paige. We were sort of 'bang-bang' out of the gate and then went into a little bit of cruise control, and you can't do that. That's the only disappointing piece on the day. We've got to keep the pedal down. We'll come back to work to do that tomorrow."
Doubleheader Game One (Texas, 15-2 – 5 inn.)
Texas' offense erupted for season-highs in runs (15) and hits (14) in Saturday's opener with von Sprecken (1-for-2, double, four RBIs), Jefferson (3-for-3, three runs, double three RBIs) and junior pinch hitter Ciera Schick (1-for-1, run, double, two RBIs) leading the charge with multiple RBIs.
In the circle, senior right-hander Kristen Clark (1-0) earned her first victory of the season with one inning of scoreless relief.
After Samford left a pair stranded in the top of the first against UT starter Erica Wright, the Longhorns offense exploded during the bottom half for its largest scoring inning of 2018 while sending 14 batters to the plate. Jefferson and von Sprecken each walked on four pitches opening the frame and advanced 60 feet on a perfect Tedder sac bunt. Free passes to sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth and Washington quickly forced in the game's first run, sophomore first baseman Malory Schattle followed with a RBI single through the left side, a wild pitch plated another and junior center fielder Kay Kay Hayter blasted a RBI hit up the middle to grant Texas a 4-0 lead. The Longhorns weren't done by a longshot as a RBI single by Jefferson, a three-run double to left center by von Sprecken and a RBI base knock from Ellsworth boosted the UT advantage to a commanding 9-0.
The UT offense got back to work during the bottom of the second as singles from Washington and Tedder and a Schattle hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with none retired. Jefferson blooped a ball down the left field line that dropped just in front of diving Samford outfielder Kelsey Royalty for a two-run double. A von Sprecken sacrifice fly to left center scored Slack from 60 feet away to make it 12-0.
Needing to get something going, Samford managed to load the bases against Texas freshman reliever Chloe Romero with one out in the top of the fourth. Pinch hitter Lauren Lewis then stepped to the plate and broke up the shutout by lifting a sacrifice fly to center. Center fielder Shelby Maze followed with a RBI single through the left side as the Bulldogs cut the deficit to 12-2.
Texas answered right back in the bottom of the fourth with three more runs to improve its advantage to 15-2. Hayter and Jefferson started the frame with infield singles and soon raced home on Schick's first career double. A RBI single through the middle from senior pinch hitter Randel Leahy scored Schick from second and finalized UT's offense output.
The Bulldogs managed to get two on with two out in the top of the fifth on singles from designated player Hannah Trombley and second baseman Whitney Hinton, but nothing else as Romero induced a pop-up to short to complete the run-rule triumph.
Doubleheader Game Two (Texas, 1-0)
During Saturday's second game, von Sprecken was strong in the circle as the Yorba Linda, Calif., native took a perfect game into the fifth inning before eventually settling for a three-hit shutout with five strikeouts. At the plate, Tedder delivered the key RBI on a first-inning double, while Washington managed a 2-for-3 effort and Ellsworth was 1-for-2.
Texas' offense kicked right into gear during its first at-bat as von Sprecken battled over 11 pitches before hammering a one-out double to the wall in left center. Tedder stepped to the plate and granted UT another first-inning lead on her own two-bagger down the line in left to make it 1-0.
Meanwhile, von Sprecken was cruising in the circle by retiring the first 14 Bulldogs she faced until left fielder Kelsey Royalty singled just over a leaping Kaitlyn Slack at short with two outs in the top of the fifth. The hit didn't faze the senior hurler, however, as she rebounded to end the inning on a strikeout of third baseman Madison Couch.
Samford got another base runner with two down in the sixth as Maze lifted a single just over third. The Bulldog center fielder soon took off on steal attempt only to be cut down at second on a strong throw from behind the plate by UT's Ellsworth.
Texas had four combined base runners on during the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but couldn't string together enough against Samford pitcher Annalyn Yantis to add insurance on the scoreboard.
Facing one last chance to get back in the game, the Bulldogs refused to quit as catcher Hannah Trombley drove a two-out double to the wall in right. The rally came up short, however, as von Sprecken induced a foul out to third to finish off UT's doubleheader sweep.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Espinosa, Elicia (1-0)
L: DeCelles (5-11)
Batting:
RBI: Maze 1 ; Lewis 1
SF: Lewis 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Royalty 1 ; Hinton 1
SB: Maze 1
HBP: Hinton 1
Batting:
2B: Jefferson, Janae 1 ; von Sprecken, Paige 1 ; Schick, Ciera 1
RBI: Jefferson, Janae 3 ; von Sprecken, Paige 4 ; Schick, Ciera 2 ; Ellsworth, Taylor 1 ; Parker, McKenzie 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1 ; Schattle, Malory 1 ; Hayter, Ki'Audra 1
SH: Tedder, MK 1
SF: von Sprecken, Paige 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jefferson, Janae 3 ; von Sprecken, Paige 2 ; Schick, Ciera 1 ; Ellsworth, Taylor 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 2 ; Schattle, Malory 2 ; Slack, Kaitlyn 2 ; Hayter, Ki'Audra 2
HBP: Tedder, MK 1 ; Schattle, Malory 1 ; Slack, Kaitlyn 1
