No. 9 Softball dealt 3-1 setback against No. 22/RV Minnesota

Sunday, March 10

Austin, Texas

Noon CT

University of Texas

21-5

#22/RV Minnesota

15-7

Minnesota

Texas

No. 9 Softball dealt 3-1 setback against No. 22/RV Minnesota

03.10.2019 | Softball

Box Score

The Longhorns offense out-hit the Golden Gophers, 8-4, but UT left seven base runners stranded

AUSTIN, Texas – On Sunday afternoon in the final game of the Longhorn Invitational at Red & Charline McCombs Field, No. 9/10 Texas softball (21-5) out-hit No. 22/RV Minnesota by a total of 8-4 but couldn't overcome a quick Golden Gopher start in dropping a 3-1 decision.

Important Notes

Redshirt junior outfielder Reagan Hathaway (.571 – 8-for-14) and sophomore second baseman Janae Jefferson (.438 – 7-for-16) each hit over .400 for Texas during the Longhorn Invitational. For the 2019 season, Jefferson improved her Big 12 Conference-leading average to .470, while Hathaway climbed to an even .400.
This marked Texas' first loss this season when scoring in the first inning. Prior to today's contest with the Golden Gophers, the Longhorns had been a perfect 10-0 when tallying at least one run during the opening frame.

Major Players

Hathaway (3-for-4, run) and Jefferson (3-of-4) each led the way at the plate from the top two spots in the batting order, while sophomore first baseman Lauren Burke was 1-for-3 with Texas' lone RBI. Junior left fielder Kaitlyn Washington added UT's other hit as part of a 1-for-3 effort.

In the Circle

Junior pitcher Miranda Elish (5-3) took the loss while tossing her sixth complete game of the season, allowing just one earned run on four hits with a walk and six strikeouts.

The Details

Minnesota wasted no time jumping to a quick 2-0 advantage with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first. Following a leadoff walk from designated player Ellee Jensen and a sac bunt, right fielder Maddie Houlihan ripped a single up the middle. Hathaway raced in from her defensive position in center to corral the ball and came up firing, but her perfect throw was dropped at the plate for an error allowing Jensen to score. With two retired in the frame, left fielder Natalie DenHartog made it 2-0 with a RBI double to right center.

The Longhorns answered right back in the bottom of the first, getting off to a promising start by putting the first two on via a Hathaway base knock to left and a Jefferson bunt single. With two down, Burke delivered a RBI single on a shot to center as Texas cut its deficit in half to 2-1.

Minnesota first baseman Hope Brandner cashed in a MaKenna Partain double to make it 3-1 in favor of the Golden Gophers, with two down in the top of the third, as her bloop single dropped in past a pair of diving Longhorns in shallow center.

Texas' best opportunity to climb back into the contest came in the bottom of the fifth as a Hathaway single up the middle and a Jefferson chopper over third put two aboard for the Longhorns with just one out. Unfortunately for the Burnt Orange & White, both junior third baseman Shannon Rhodes and sophomore catcher Mary Iakopo made solid contact off Minnesota starter Amber Fiser but hit line drives directly to UM center fielder Ali Lindner to end the threat.

Meanwhile, Elish was keeping it a two-run contest by retiring the last 13 Golden Gophers she faced from the third through seventh frames.

Down to its last three outs in the bottom of the seventh, Texas got a one-out walk from senior pinch hitter Bekah Alcozer to bring the potential tying run to the plate. The rally wouldn't come, however, as a fly ball to right and a fielder's choice to second concluded the match-up.