No. 9 Softball roars past Houston Baptist, 8-0 (5 inn.)

Wednesday, February 27

Austin, Texas

4:30 p.m. CT

University of Texas

13-1

Houston Baptist

5-6

Houston Baptist

Texas

No. 9 Softball roars past Houston Baptist, 8-0 (5 inn.)

02.27.2019 | Softball

Box Score

The Longhorns have now run-ruled seven of their first 14 opponents this season

AUSTIN, Texas – On Wednesday evening at Red & Charline McCombs Field, No. 9/10 Texas softball (13-1) won its seventh straight game by riding a six-run fifth inning outburst to an 8-0 (5 inn.) victory over Houston Baptist (5-6).

Team Notes

With the win, the Longhorns improved to 13-1 overall, tying the 2013, 2012 and 2006 Texas squads for the best 14-game start in program history, and won their season-best seventh straight contest. UT also lowered its team ERA to a miniscule 0.92, the fifth-lowest mark at this point of a season in school annals. Texas is now 9-0 in games when scoring first, 12-0 when out-hitting its opponent and 7-0 when scoring in the first inning.

Major Players

Redshirt junior center fielder Reagan Hathaway (2-for-3, two runs, HR, RBI) and sophomore catcher Mary Iakopo (1-for-3, run, HR, two RBIs) each led the way at the plate by blasting HRs for the Longhorns. Iakopo has now reached base safely in all 13 games she has played in during her Longhorns career. Junior left fielder Shannon Rhodes was 2-for-2 with a run and a RBI, sophomore first baseman Lauren Burke was 1-for-1 with a double, senior pinch hitter Ki'Audra Hayter was 1-for-1 with a run scored and a two-RBI triple, junior third baseman Malory Schattle was 1-for-3 with a RBI and senior right fielder Bekah Alcozer was credited with a RBI.

In the Circle

Sophomore Ariana Adams tossed 4.0 innings of one-hit ball with a walk and three strikeouts to improve to 2-0 overall. Senior Brooke Bolinger earned her second save of the season by striking out the side during a single frame of relief.

The Details

Texas' offense came to life immediately in the bottom of the first against HBU's Jessica Patak. Hathaway got things going by lining her team-leading eighth double of the season off the wall in right. Following a Janae Jefferson sacrifice bunt, Rhodes lifted a deep sac fly down the line in left to make it 1-0.

The Burnt Orange & White got back in business in the bottom of the second. Junior designated player Miranda Elish put together a terrific 11-pitch at-bat before reaching on an error by HBU second baseman Amber Lotz. UT eventually stationed a pair in scoring position, after Burke blasted a double to the wall in right, setting the stage for Alcozer's RBI groundout that doubled the advantage to 2-0.

Meanwhile, Adams was cruising in the circle for the Longhorns. The Magnolia, Texas, native allowed a walk to open the contest before retiring nine straight Huskies with three strikeouts over a stretch from the first through third innings.

Houston Baptist finally got a hit off Adams starting the top of the fourth as third baseman Autumn Sydlik ripped a hard single to third. The sophomore right hander wasn't fazed by the base runner, however, retiring the next three Huskies in order to end the threat.

After Bolinger struck out the HBU side in relief, the end came swiftly during the bottom of the fifth as the Longhorns scored six times while sending 10 batters to the plate. The outburst began with one out as Hathaway blasted her first HR of the season out to right center to make it 3-0. From there, all the damage came with two retired. Rhodes kicked things off with a single to left center before Iakopo crushed a two-run bomb to left center. Walks to freshman pinch hitters Elicia Espinosa and Jaden Hoelker (her first career plate appearance) set the stage for a two-run, pinch-hit Hayter triple to left center as the gap expanded to 7-0. Following a Kaitlyn Slack walk, Schattle ended things via run-rule on a RBI single up the middle.