No. 9 Softball’s win streak ends against Wisconsin, 3-1 (9 inn.)

Saturday, March 2

Tempe, Arizona

1:30 p.m. CT

University of Texas

16-2

#RV Wisconsin

15-2

Wisconsin

Texas

No. 9 Softball’s win streak ends against Wisconsin, 3-1 (9 inn.)

03.02.2019 | Softball

Box Score

Texas’ offense out-hit UW but left 10 runners stranded on base during the defeat

TEMPE, Ariz. – On Saturday afternoon in Sun Devil Classic action at Farrington Stadium, a pitcher's duel that ended up in international tiebreaker territory went No. RV Wisconsin's (15-2) way as the Badgers out-lasted No. 9/10 Texas softball (16-2) in nine innings, 3-1.

Important Notes

Freshman pitcher Shealyn O'Leary lowered her Big 12 Conference-leading ERA to a remarkable 0.23 with seven more scoreless innings against the Badgers. The Castaic, Calif., native has now allowed just one earned run over the first 31 IP of her collegiate career.
At 16-2 overall, Texas has equaled the 2010 & 2011 Longhorns teams for the fifth-best 18-game start in program history. The 2003, 2006, 2012 & 2013 UT teams all started one-game better at 17-1.
The Longhorns offense actually managed to out-hit Wisconsin, 9-6, but left 10 runners stranded while going 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Texas hasn't been shutout in 2019, scoring in all 18 contests while averaging 6.8 runs-per-game and hitting .342 overall.

Major Players

Redshirt junior center fielder Reagan Hathaway was 2-for-4 at the plate, while sophomore first baseman Lauren Burke was 1-for-4 with a RBI double to lead the offense.

In the Circle

O'Leary was terrific as the starter for the Horns, firing 7.0 scoreless innings of three-hit work with a walk and four strikeouts. Senior Brooke Bolinger (3-2) suffered a tough loss in relief, allowing two earned runs on three hits with a pair of K's over 2.0 frames.

The Details

Neither offense got much going in a pitcher's duel between O'Leary and Wisconsin starter Haley Hestekin until the bottom of the fourth. That's when Texas got singles from sophomore second baseman Janae Jefferson and sophomore catcher Mary Iakopo to put two aboard with one down. Unfortunately for the Horns, a fielder's choice and a groundout left two on.

UT put two runners in scoring position in the fifth with two outs and got the leadoff batter on via a Shannon Rhodes single in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn't find the clutch hit needed to break through.

Wisconsin's best chance at a win in regulation came in the top of the sixth as the Badgers got singles from center fielder Ally Miklesh and third baseman Taylor Johnson to open the frame. That's when Iakopo made the play of the game to that point, firing a strike to second to pick off Miklesh for a huge first out. That took the steam out of the UW threat as a pop-up and a foul out ended the once promising inning with no scoring.

With a chance to walk-off in the bottom of the seventh, the Burnt Orange & White got off to a promising start with a leadoff single through the left side from Washington. Senior Ki'Audra Hayter came on to run and quickly moved within 60 feet of pay dirt on a stolen base and a sacrifice bunt. Junior shortstop Kaitlyn Slack stepped into the box and dropped a bunt out in front of the plate. Wisconsin covered it well, corralling it before tossing home to cut down Hayter and eventually send the game to extras.

Neither team could take advantage of the runner at second to start the frame in the eighth, but UW jumped in front in the ninth.

One of the key plays of the game came starting the ninth as Wisconsin first baseman Kayla Konwent's fly ball was lost in the sun by the UT outfield before falling in for a single. With runners at the corners and no outs, catcher Melanie Cross drove a RBI single to left to make it 1-0. A Caroline Hedgcock RBI double to left and a contentious bunt RBI, that included a collision along the first-base line that prevented any Texas defense play at the plate, pushed the Badgers to a 3-0 advantage.

Down to their final three outs, the Longhorns got something started as Burke christened the bottom of the ninth by launching a RBI double into the left center gap. UT eventually put the tying run on base, with runners at the corners and two down following an Alcozer infield single, but a grounder to short ended the contest.