The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
1-0
Boston College
0-2
No. 16 Softball opens the season with an 8-0 (5 inn.) win over Boston College
02.09.2019 | Softball
Head Coach Mike White picked up the first victory of his Longhorns coaching career
AUSTIN, Texas – It may have come a day later than expected, but it was no less sweet on Saturday morning at Red & Charline McCombs Field as No. 16 Texas softball (1-0) opened its 2019 campaign with a commanding 8-0 (5 inn.) win over Boston College (0-2) to provide new head coach Mike White with his first UT coaching victory.
With the triumph, Texas improved to a perfect 23-0 all-time in season openers dating back to 1997.
Junior transfer third baseman Shannon Rhodes managed quite the Burnt Orange & White debut by going a perfect 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs. Fellow junior transfer designated player Miranda Elish was 1-for-2 with a run and a RBI in her UT debut, while sophomore second baseman Janae Jefferson (1-for-2, run) and junior first baseman Kaitlyn Washington (1-for-2, run, triple) each knocked in a pair. Junior catcher Taylor Ellsworth ended the contest via run-rule on a fifth-inning sacrifice fly.
In the circle for the Horns, senior lefthander Brooke Bolinger earned the complete-game win, allowing just one hit, walking one and striking out seven over five frames of effort.
With Bolinger keeping BC's bats under wraps to the tune of one base runner over the opening two frames, the Longhorns offense exploded in the bottom of the second. Ellsworth kicked off the inning with a walk, and senior right fielder Bekah Alcozer was struck by a one-out pitch. That set the stage for a pair of UT's high-profile transfers to make their presence felt. Elish stepped to the dish and ripped a RBI single through the right side. Rhodes immediately followed with a bases-clearing double to the wall in right center to make it 3-0.
The Eagles managed their only hit with one out in the top of the fourth as designated player Emme Martinez ripped a double to the wall in left center. That was as far as she would get, however, as Bolinger ended the threat on her fifth K and a fly ball to right.
Looking for more, Texas loaded the bases with just one retired in the bottom of the fifth on a perfect Rhodes bunt single, a Kaitlyn Slack base knock to center and the first walk of freshman pinch hitter Elicia Espinosa's career. The UT offense wasted no time ending things as Jefferson kicked the assault up another notch with a two-RBI bloop single to left. Washington followed with a two-RBI triple down the right-field line, and then Ellsworth lifted a sac fly to center to complete an 8-0 (5 inn.) triumph.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bolinger, Brooke (1-0)
L: Anderson (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Martinez 1
Batting:
2B: Rhodes, Shannon 1
3B: Washington, Kaitlyn 1
RBI: Jefferson, Janae 2 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 2 ; Ellsworth, Taylor 1 ; Elish, Miranda 1 ; Rhodes, Shannon 2
SF: Ellsworth, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DerMargosian, Tuesday 1 ; Jefferson, Janae 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1 ; Ellsworth, Taylor 1 ; Alcozer, Bekah 1 ; Elish, Miranda 1 ; Rhodes, Shannon 1 ; Slack, Kaitlyn 1
HBP: Alcozer, Bekah 1
PO: Rhodes, Shannon 1
