The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
34-9, 0
#15 Texas Tech
30-8, 0
No. 11 Softball secures series with 2-0 win at No. 15 Texas Tech
04.07.2019 | Softball
Junior pitcher Miranda Elish allowed just two hits and struck out nine during a complete game
LUBBOCK, Texas – In front of the largest crowd in Rocky Johnson Field history (1,294) on Sunday, No. 11 Texas softball (34-9, 7-3 Big 12 Conference) secured an important league series win with a 2-0 victory over No. 15 Texas Tech (30-8, 3-6 Big 12 Conference).
Important Notes
- The Longhorns pitching staff limited the No. 15 Red Raiders offense to just two earned runs over 20.2 innings of work this weekend for a miniscule 0.68 ERA. Junior Miranda Elish was particularly impressive by posting a spotless 0.00 ERA over 14 frames of work with two complete-game shutouts, 15 K's and a .152 batting average against.
- Texas added to its remarkable fourth-inning scoring total this season by plating two more runs on Sunday at TTU. UT has now out-scored its opponents during the frame, 78-10.
- With nine strikeouts against Texas Tech, Elish also climbed within one of reaching the 500-career-strikeout plateau at 499 K's.
- Texas junior third baseman Shannon Rhodes homered for the second straight game on Sunday and led the Longhorns in slugging percentage at Texas Tech at 1.000.
Major Players
Rhodes blasted her fifth HR of the season as part of a 1-for-3 performance, junior left fielder Kaitlyn Washington was 1-for-3 with a double and a RBI and sophomore catcher Mary Iakopo was 2-for-3 with a run scored.
In the Circle
Elish improved to 11-5 overall after allowing just two hits, walking four and striking out nine over her 12th complete game and seventh solo shutout of the season.
The Details
Neither team seriously threatened to break through in the pitcher's duel between Elish and Texas Tech's Missy Zoch until the top of the fourth. That's when Rhodes stepped up and homered for the second consecutive game on a drive to right to make it 1-0. The outburst continued as Iakopo singled and Washington soon followed with a two-out double down into the left field corner, plating Iakopo all the way from first for a 2-0 advantage.
Texas Tech tried to get something going against Elish in the bottom of the fourth as third baseman Breanna Russell opened the frame with a double just off the glove of a leaping Ki'Audra Hayter in right. Both designated player Trenity Edwards and second baseman Zoe Jones followed with lengthy drives to left center, but both were caught near the warning track by UT's Washington. A pop-up near the plate was caught by Iakopo as the Red Raiders left the duo stranded.
TTU put two more aboard with two outs in the fifth on a pair of walks, but Elish danced out of danger again by striking out pinch hitter Shelby Henderson on a rise ball for her seventh K of the afternoon.
Texas' defense came up with a huge double play in the bottom of the sixth. With Edwards at second after a double, Jones hit a sharp one-out bouncer to short. Junior Kaitlyn Slack corralled the ball and tossed across the diamond for one out. Junior first baseman Malory Schattle then fired a strike across to Rhodes covering third to catch Edwards trying to advance for an inning-ending double play.
Down to their final three outs in the seventh, the Red Raiders went down twice on strikes before a pop-up to short ended the Texas triumph.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Elish, Miranda (11-5)
L: Missy Zoch (12-5)
Batting:
2B: Washington, Kaitlyn 1
HR: Rhodes, Shannon 1
RBI: Rhodes, Shannon 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1
SH: Elish, Miranda 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rhodes, Shannon 1 ; Iakopo, Mary 1
Batting:
2B: Breanna Russell 1 ; Trenity Edwards 1
SH: Kelcy Leach 1
Base Running:
CS: Taylor Satchell 1
