No. 11 Softball blanks Houston, 5-0

Wednesday, April 10

Austin, Texas

6 p.m. CT

University of Texas

35-9

Houston

26-15

Houston

Texas

04.10.2019 | Softball

Box Score

Sophomore catcher Mary Iakopo led the Texas offense by going 3-for-3 with a HR and three RBIs

AUSTIN, Texas – On Wednesday night at Red & Charline McCombs Field, No. 11 Texas softball (35-9) got a perfect 3-for-3 effort with a HR and three RBIs from sophomore catcher Mary Iakopo and a combined shutout from senior Brooke Bolinger and freshman Shealyn O'Leary to knock off Houston (26-15), 5-0.

Important Notes

Iakopo has been on fire at the plate over Texas' last six contests, batting .500 (9-for-18) with nine runs scored, four HR's and nine RBIs.
The Texas pitching staff (combination of Bolinger, O'Leary and junior Miranda Elish) have combined for a 0.42 ERA (just two earned runs), four shutouts and 34 strikeouts over its last 33.2 innings of work dating back to April 3 against Texas State.
With the win over Houston, the Longhorns now own 27 victories over current RPI Top 100 teams this season.
Houston suffered its first loss this season to a team from the state of Texas. The Cougars had entered their match-up against the Longhorns a perfect 9-0 against the "Lone Star State" in 2019. UT improved its mark to 10-1 against Texas programs this year.

Major Players

Iakopo led the charge at the plate by going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored, her team-best ninth HR of the season and three RBIs. Sophomore first baseman Lauren Burke was 2-for-3 with a RBI, junior left fielder Tuesday DerMargosian was 2-for-3, redshirt junior center fielder Reagan Hathaway was 1-for-3 with a run scored and her Big 12 Conference-leading 16th double of the year, while senior right fielder Bekah Alcozer was credited with a RBI on a fielder's choice.

In the Circle

Bolinger (8-3) was strong against the Cougars, striking out seven while walking none over four innings of two-hit work. Freshman Shealyn O'Leary earned her first career save by allowing one hit and striking out two in three frames of relief.

The Details

A leadoff Hathaway double to open the game set the tone for the Longhorns in the first as Iakopo soon followed with a two-out, two-run HR to left to boost UT in front, 2-0.

Meanwhile, Bolinger was in charge from the circle, registering seven strikeouts over her four innings of work, including striking out the side during the second.

Texas left a pair stranded in both the second and fourth innings before finally adding to its advantage in the bottom of the fifth. Back-to-back walks to sophomore second baseman Janae Jefferson and junior third baseman Shannon Rhodes ended Houston starter Trystan Melancon's stint in the circle as Savannah Heebner entered in relief. Iakopo continued her impressive night at the plate by greeting the new hurler with a RBI single up the middle for a 3-0 advantage. Burke soon followed with a RBI single, and Alcozer hit into a RBI fielder's choice as the Longhorns made it 5-0.

Houston didn't manage to get a base runner as far as second base until the top of the fifth. With right fielder Maya Thomas aboard to begin the inning via a Longhorns throwing error, a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch moved the Cougar runner up to third with two down. UT's freshman reliever O'Leary got out of potential danger by inducing a foul out outside first to end the frame.

From there, O'Leary allowed just a two-out single to Houston second baseman Arielle James in the top of the sixth but nothing else as the Burnt Orange & White finished off another mid-week victory.