No. 10 Softball blanks Baylor on Saturday night, 1-0

Saturday, May 4

Austin, Texas

6 p.m. CT

University of Texas

40-12, 11-6

Baylor

18-30, 2-15

Baylor

Texas

No. 10 Softball blanks Baylor on Saturday night, 1-0

05.04.2019 | Softball

Box Score

Junior Miranda Elish tossed a one-hit shutout, while sophomore Janae Jefferson registered UT’s clutch RBI

AUSTIN, Texas – On Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 1,319 fans at Red & Charline McCombs Field, No. 10 Texas softball (40-12, 11-6 Big 12 Conference) got a one-hit shutout from junior pitcher Miranda Elish and a clutch RBI from sophomore second baseman Janae Jefferson to knock-off Baylor (18-30, 2-15 Big 12 Conference), 1-0.

Important Notes

With the victory, Texas picked up its 40th win in a single-season for the 12th time in program history and the first time since 2013.
By defeating Baylor on Saturday, Texas can now boast of 28 victories over RPI Top 100 teams in 2019.
The Texas pitching staff picked up its 20th shutout of the season in the win over the Lady Bears. That's the most blankings in a single season for Longhorns pitchers since the 2013 squad registered 23 shutouts.
Texas improved its record when holding opponents to two-or-fewer runs this season to a remarkable 35-1 overall and is now 32-1 when scoring first in a contest.

Major Players

Jefferson delivered the clutch fourth-inning RBI single as part of a 1-for-4 effort, while sophomore first baseman Lauren Burke was 2-for-3. Junior left fielder Kaitlyn Washington, redshirt junior center fielder Reagan Hathaway, freshman shortstop McKenzie Parker and Elish all managed single hits in the victory.

In the Circle

Elish (14-8) picked up her ninth shutout of the season after allowing just one hit, walking one and striking out four over her 16th complete-game effort.

The Details

After leaving three base runners stranded over the opening two innings, Texas' offense nearly got on the board in the bottom of the third. Burke kicked off the threat with a single through the right side, moved to second on a bunt and was joined on the basepaths by sophomore catcher Mary Iakopo on a one-out walk. Washington bounced a high chopper up the middle that was tracked down just short of the grass by Baylor shortstop Taylor Ellis. Burke rounded third attempting to score, but was cut down on a tag at the plate by BU catcher Tyler Trott.

A Hathaway single and a Lady Bear fielding error put two more Longhorns on starting the bottom of the fourth. With junior pinch runner Tuesday DerMargosian and junior third baseman Shannon Rhodes in scoring position after a wild pitch, sophomore right fielder MK Tedder hit a bouncer to short. Ellis delivered the big defensive play again as her throw to the plate retired DerMargosian for a big first out. With two down and a pair of Longhorns still in scoring position, Jefferson came through with the clutch hit, lacing a RBI single through the left side of the infield to grant UT a 1-0 advantage.

Meanwhile, after allowing a leadoff single to BU second baseman Nicky Dawson to begin the contest, Elish retired 17 consecutive Lady Bears before permitting a two-out walk in the top of the sixth. That was all Baylor could get in the frame, however, as Texas' junior starter struck out center fielder Lou Gilbert to leave the runner stranded.

With one final chance in the top of the seventh, Baylor's 3,4 & 5 hitters went down in order on a fly out to right and back-to-back bouncers to the circle.