No. 11 Softball rallies but drops a 4-3 (8 inn.) thriller to No. 1 Oklahoma

Thursday, April 18

Austin, Texas

6 p.m. CT

University of Texas

36-10, 7-4

#1 Oklahoma

39-2, 10-0

Oklahoma

Texas

No. 11 Softball rallies but drops a 4-3 (8 inn.) thriller to No. 1 Oklahoma

04.19.2019 | Softball

Box Score

The Longhorns had the tying run thrown out at the plate to conclude the extra-inning affair

AUSTIN, Texas – On Friday night in front of the seventh-largest crowd in Red & Charline McCombs Field history (1,415), No. 11 Texas softball (36-11, 7-5 Big 12 Conference) rallied within one with two outs in the bottom of the eighth but had the potential tying run thrown out at the plate to end the game as No. 1 Oklahoma (40-2, 11-0 Big 12 Conference) prevailed, 4-3 (8 inn.).

Important Notes

Tonight's attendance of 1,415 was the seventh-highest in program history and the most for the Longhorns at any game since putting 1,423 inside McCombs Field back on April 5, 2006, against Texas A&M.
Texas' 12 hits marked the most in a game by any Oklahoma opponent this season. The previous high was eight hits by UCLA back on Feb. 24.
Sophomore catcher Mary Iakopo is currently batting at a .857 clip (6-for-7) during the series against No. 1 Oklahoma and is now hitting .538 (14-for-26) over UT's last nine games with a team-best 10 RBIs.
Seven different Longhorns managed hits against a combo of Oklahoma pitchers Mariah Lopez and G Juarez.

Major Players

Sophomore second baseman Janae Jefferson went 3-for-5 with a run scored, while Iakopo was 3-for-4 with a RBI. Sophomore first baseman Lauren Burke was 2-for-4, junior shortstop Kaitlyn Slack was 1-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI and junior designated player Miranda Elish was 1-for-3 with her ninth double of the season.

In the Circle

Elish (11-7) took the loss in relief, allowing two earned runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts over 3.2 innings. Senior Brooke Bolinger started for the Longhorns, permitting two earned runs on five hits with a walk and two K's in 4.1 frames.

The Details

Texas wasted no time jumping in front on Friday as the Longhorns grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Jefferson got things started with a bunt single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and came around to score on an Iakopo RBI single to right.

Meanwhile, Bolinger was cruising for the Horns in the circle early, retiring a streak of nine straight Sooners from the first into the top of the fourth. Unfortunately, a Caleigh Clifton triple to right center, that was misplayed on a bounce, broke up the skein and put OU's first occupant in scoring position. With runners at the corners following a Jocelyn Alo walk and two down, first baseman Grace Green tied the game at 1-1 on a blooper to shallow right.

The Sooners threatened again in the top of the fifth, putting runners at the corners with one down. The decision was made to summon Elish out of the bullpen, and the move paid off immediately with help from the Texas defense. With one out, OU attempted a double steal only to have pinch runner Audrie LaValley thrown out at the plate. That effectively ended the threat as third baseman Sydney Romero soon grounded out to second.

In need of a rally, Elish kicked off the Texas sixth by lacing a leadoff double down the line in left. After a Kaitlyn Washington base knock, Slack dropped a perfect bunt up the first-base line to plate pinch runner Tuesday DerMargosian from third and tie the game at 2-2.

Both teams managed a base runner in the seventh, but couldn't string together enough to keep the game out of extra innings.

Romero and left fielder Fale Aviu kicked off Oklahoma's eighth with a double and single, respectively. With two in scoring position and no one out, Clifton hit a dying liner to right. Texas sophomore MK Tedder raced over and made a great diving catch as Romero tagged up at third. The relay to the plate was close but just late as the runner was judged to have gotten her hand in under Iakopo's tag attempt. With the Longhorns protesting the call at the plate, Aviu somehow managed to scamper home as well to make it 4-2.

The bizarre eighth frame continued into the bottom half as the Burnt Orange & White managed a stirring two-out rally. Consecutive base hits from Slack and Tedder brought the potential winning run to the plate in the form of Jefferson. The All-American speedster dropped a bunt and hustled down the line to beat out a single as Romero's errant throw rolled down the line. Slack scored easily from second on the play, but Tedder was thrown out attempting a slide into the plate to end the contest.