No. 10 Softball uses fourth-inning outburst to top Iowa State, 6-1

Saturday, March 23

Austin, Texas

1 p.m. CT

University of Texas

28-6, 2-0

Iowa State

17-12, 0-2

Iowa State

Texas

No. 10 Softball uses fourth-inning outburst to top Iowa State, 6-1

03.23.2019 | Softball

Box Score

Junior Kaitlyn Washington & senior Bekah Alcozer each blasted HR’s in the Longhorns victory

AUSTIN, Texas – A five-run fourth-inning outburst proved plenty for No. 10/11 Texas softball (28-6, 2-0 Big 12 Conference) on Saturday afternoon in front of 983 fans at Red & Charline McCombs Field as the Longhorns secured a league series victory over Iowa State (17-12, 0-2 Big 12), 6-1.

Important Notes

With Saturday's win, freshman Shealyn O'Leary became the first Texas pitcher to start a year at least 10-0 overall since 2013 when both Blaire Luna (started 11-0) and Kim Bruins (went 10-0 over the entire season) performed the feat.
Texas' fourth-inning scoring prowess continued into Saturday as the Longhorns scored five times in the frame. UT has now outscored opponents in the fourth inning this season by a combined total of 72-8. In all, the Burnt Orange & White has put up 33% of its 219 total runs during that frame.
UT has now scored at least three runs in an inning 33 times in 2019 and at least once in 25-of-34 total games played.
The Longhorns are now 18-2 at McCombs Field this season. Amazingly, that's only tied for the eighth-best, 20-game home start in program history as UT has often been strong on its home turf.

Major Players

Junior left fielder Kaitlyn Washington led the offensive charge at the dish by going 2-for-2 with two runs scored, her eighth double of the season, her second HR of the year and three RBIs, while senior right fielder Bekah Alcozer was 1-for-2 with her third HR of the campaign and two RBIs. Junior third baseman Shannon Rhodes was 1-for-3 with a run and RBI, and sophomore first baseman Lauren Burke blasted her eighth double of the season as part of a 1-for-2 effort with a run scored.

In the Circle

O'Leary improved to 10-0 to begin her collegiate career by allowing one earned run on five hits with a walk and a strikeout over a complete-game performance.

The Details

It was Iowa State that jumped to an early lead starting the top of the second as the Cyclones used back-to-back doubles from catcher Kaylee Bosworth and center fielder Taylor Nearad to grab a 1-0 lead.

The Longhorns used the long ball to answer back in the bottom of the third as Washington drove the first pitch of the inning down the right field line for a solo HR to deadlock the contest at 1-1.

ISU threatened again in the top of the fourth as Bosworth and Nearad singled to begin the frame. With one out after a fielder's choice and Cyclones stationed at the corners, designated player Sydney Stites lined into a 4-3 double play to conclude the frame with no damage.

The Texas offensive fireworks soon began in the bottom of the fourth as the Longhorns sent eight batters to the plate while scoring five times. With UT runners at the corners and two retired, a Rhodes RBI single to left, a two-run Washington double down the right field line and Alcozer's two-run HR to center boosted the Texas advantage to 6-1.

From there, O'Leary allowed just a fifth-inning single and nothing else as the Castaic, Calif., native retired the last eight Cyclones she faced in the contest to secure her 10th victory.