No. 6 Softball drops exhibition to Mexico & beats Ole Miss

Saturday, February 15

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

8:30 p.m. CT

University of Texas

10-0

Ole Miss

1-8

Texas

Ole Miss

Puerto Vallarta All-Tournament Team 2020

No. 6 Softball drops exhibition to Mexico & beats Ole Miss

02.16.2020 | Softball

Box Score

The Longhorns knocked off the Rebels in Saturday’s Puerto Vallarta nightcap to improve to 10-0 overall

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – Saturday proved to be a long one for No. 6 Texas softball (10-0) in Puerto Vallarta College Challenge action as the Longhorns dropped a close exhibition contest to the Mexican Olympic Team (4-5, 8 inn) before taking care of business in the match-up that actually counted against Ole Miss, 4-1.

Important Notes

Senior pitcher Miranda Elish was named the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Second Session Most Valuable Player after going 2-0 in the circle with a 0.00 ERA and four hits allowed over 12 IP.
Senior shortstop Kaitlyn Slack (.714 avg., 5-for-7, double, HR, four RBIs) and sophomore catcher Colleen Sullivan (.455 avg., 5-for-11, two doubles, two RBIs) were each named to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Second Session All-Tournament Team.
Texas improved to 10-0 for the first time since the 2016 Longhorns started off their season at 12-0.
The Longhorns hit .356 as a team in Puerto Vallarta, out-scored its opponents, 22-3, and managed 14 extra-base hits while the pitching staff didn't allow a single earned run over 26 innings (0.00 ERA).

Major Players

vs. Mexico – Sophomore shortstop McKenzie Parker (2-for-4, two runs, triple, HR, three RBIs); redshirt junior designated player Taylor Ellsworth (2-for-3); senior pinch hitter Kaitlyn Washington (1-for-1, RBI)

vs. Ole Miss – Junior third baseman Mary Iakopo (2-for-3, run, two RBIs); Washington (1-for-3, RBI); Slack (2-for-2, RBI)

In the Circle

vs. Mexico – Freshman Courtney Day took the non-counting loss in the exhibition over 2.1 innings of relief, allowing one unearned run, walking two and striking out one.

vs. Ole Miss – Elish improved to 4-0 overall by allowing one unearned run, walking one and striking out seven over a complete-game effort.

The Details

vs. Mexico – After a quick 1-2-3 inning for the Longhorns in the first, Team Mexico quickly struck for three runs in the bottom half against starter Ariana Adams. A leadoff walk issued to designated player Bridgette DelPonte came back to hurt as a sacrifice bunt and a RBI single from shortstop Anissa Urtez staked her squad to a 1-0 lead. First baseman Tori Vidales then stepped to the dish and drove a two-run shot to center to boost the advantage to 3-0.

Texas registered its first hit off Mexico starter Danielle O'Toole in the top of the second as Day beat out a one-out infield single to short. Unfortunately for the Horns, a strikeout and a bouncer to short left the runner stranded.

The Longhorns offense put together its first real scoring opportunity with one out in the top of the fourth as freshman catcher London Marder was struck by a pitch and Ellsworth ripped a single through the left side to station a pair aboard. Day nearly delivered the big hit as the first baseman ripped a liner that was caught on a dive by second baseman Chelsea Gonzales for out number two. Just when it appeared Mexico might escape the inning unscathed, Parker stepped into the box against the former Arizona All-American O'Toole and blasted a three-run HR to right to knot the scoreboard at 3-3.

A dropped pop-up to start the bottom of the fourth by the Longhorns defense, a single and a failed fielder's choice try at home led to an unearned run as Mexico grabbed back the lead, 4-3.

Heading to the top of the seventh trailing by a run, Texas strung together another spirited rally. Parker kicked things off by launching a triple to right center, and soon raced across to tie the game at 4-4 on a Washington RBI single. The Longhorns eventually loaded the bases with one out, but couldn't get another big hit as consecutive K's left the trio stranded.

Forced into extra innings with the international tiebreaker in effect, Texas quickly packed the bags with no outs in the eighth on a walk and a Mexico error. Unfortunately, a rare triple play, that cut down runners at home, third and first, ended a huge threat with no scoring.

Blessed with a runner in scoring position to start its half of the eighth, Mexico also loaded the bases. Pinch hitter Brittany Cervantes stepped up and drove a game-ending sac fly to right to seal Mexico's 5-4 (8 inn.) win.

vs. Ole Miss –

It was Texas that grabbed the early lead off Ole Miss starter Molly Jacobsen in the top of the second. Sullivan got things underway by driving a double past short and into the left center field gap. Following a Day sacrifice bunt to advance the runner 60 feet, Washington chopped a ball to first for a RBI to make it 1-0. Consecutive singles from Iakopo, junior right fielder Lauren Burke and Slack combined to plate another as the advantage climbed to 2-0.

With Elish limiting the Rebels to no hits through two, the Longhorns added two more to the scoreboard in the top of the third. An Ole Miss fielding error and a hit batter opened the door for the Longhorns as Iakopo delivered a clutch, two-out, two-RBI single to make it 4-0.

Jacobsen settled down for the Rebels after that, but the Ole Miss offense couldn't solve Elish as the senior right hander allowed two hits over her first six innings of work.

Faced with one final chance to get back in the game, UM utilized a walk, a single and a two-out Texas error to cut its deficit to 4-1. With runners at the corners and the tying run standing at the plate, Elish forced Ole Miss shortstop Mikayla Allee to bounce out harmlessly to short to end the game.