The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
32-24
Texas Tech - 3rd Place Game
29-26
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Tech | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Texas | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | X | 9 | 14 | 1 |
Softball takes third at the Big 12 Championship by topping Texas Tech, 9-2
05.12.2018 | Softball
The Longhorns offense tied a season-high with 14 hits in the victory over the Red Raiders
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – On Saturday afternoon in Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship play at the USA Hall of Fame Stadium, Texas softball (32-24) managed a season-high-tying 14 hits while securing a third-place finish in the event with a 9-2 victory over Texas Tech (29-26).
With the Big 12 Championship complete, the Longhorns now wait to learn their NCAA Softball Championship road during the annual NCAA Selection Show that is scheduled for Sun., May, 13, at 9 p.m. CT live on ESPN2.
The UT offense was led at the plate by a 3-for-4 effort with a double and a RBI from sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth. Senior pitcher Paige von Sprecken (2-for-4, RBI), senior right fielder Randel Leahy (2-for-4, RBI), sophomore left fielder Kaitlyn Washington (2-for-4, run, two RBIs) and freshman third baseman MK Tedder (2-for-3, two RBIs) all registered two hits in the contest.
In the circle for the Longhorns, von Sprecken (11-11) earned the win over a complete-game effort, allowing one earned run on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
A Heaven Burton leadoff single and a miscue in the UT outfield opened the door for the Red Raiders to nab a first-inning lead. With the TTU runner at second, a sacrifice bunt and a Jessica Hartwell sacrifice fly to right center brought Burton home unearned to make it 1-0.
Bidding for an immediate response, Texas' offense got a two-out rally going in the bottom half, loading the bases on consecutive Leahy and Ellsworth singles and a Malory Schattle walk. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, a routine bouncer to first left the trio stranded as the Burnt Orange & White missed an early scoring chance.
After wasting the two-out opportunity in the first, the Longhorns wouldn't waste another in the second. With sophomore shortstop Kaitlyn Slack at second following a single and a groundout, freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson stepped to the plate and ripped a RBI single to center to tie things up at 1-1. One batter later, von Sprecken helped her own cause in the circle with her own RBI base knock to right, bringing Jefferson around for a 2-1 advantage.
TTU managed to load the bases with one out in the top of the third on a walk, a Kaylee Strickland single up the middle and a failed fielder's choice. Texas' defense came through with a big play, however, as Tedder fielded a bouncer to third and cut down the lead runner at home for a big second out. From there, von Sprecken got clean-up hitter Karli Hamilton to pop-out to shallow right to end the threat.
A leadoff double by Ellsworth got the Longhorns back in business starting the bottom of the third. With two UT runners in scoring position, after TTU made an error trying to field a sacrifice bunt and Schattle swiped second, Washington chopped a RBI single through the right side. Tedder followed immediately by launching a sacrifice fly to center to boost Texas' lead to 4-1.
Another Texas Tech miscue opened the door for the Longhorns to score another run in the bottom of the fourth. With junior center fielder Kay Kay Hayter standing at second on a TTU error and a stolen base, Leahy ripped a single up the middle to plate the UT speedster for a 5-1 advantage.
Needing a late rally, the Red Raiders got something started on a Hamilton double and an Erin Edmoundson walk with one out in the top of the sixth. Close to escaping the situation on a fielder's choice to second, von Sprecken allowed a two-out bloop single to right center by catcher Kelcy Leach to cut the TTU deficit to 5-2.
Texas eventually broke the game open during its half of the sixth, scoring four times while sending eight batters to the dish. The outburst all started with a one-out von Sprecken single up the middle. From there, RBI singles from Ellsworth, Washington and Tedder and another Texas Tech error combined on four scores to finalize UT's offensive output at nine runs.
With one final chance to try to get back in the game, the Red Raiders went down in order against von Sprecken in the seventh as UT prevailed, 9-2.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: von Sprecken, Paige (11-11)
L: Edmoundson (14-11)
Batting:
2B: K. Hamilton 1
RBI: J. Hartwell 1 ; K. Leach 1
SH: M. Cochran 1
SF: J. Hartwell 1
Base Running:
RUNS: H. Burton 1 ; K. Hamilton 1
Batting:
2B: Ellsworth, Taylor 1
RBI: Jefferson, Janae 1 ; von Sprecken, Paige 1 ; Parker, McKenzie 1 ; Ellsworth, Taylor 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 2 ; Tedder, MK 2
SH: Schattle, Malory 1
SF: Tedder, MK 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jefferson, Janae 1 ; Schick, Ciera 1 ; Ellsworth, Taylor 1 ; DerMargosian, Tuesday 1 ; Schattle, Malory 2 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1 ; Slack, Kaitlyn 1 ; Hayter, Ki'Audra 1
SB: Schattle, Malory 1 ; Hayter, Ki'Audra 1
CS: Washington, Kaitlyn 1
