No. 7 Softball blasts five HR’s in 9-0 (5 inn.) road rout of Houston

Wednesday, March 3

Houston, Texas

6 p.m. CT

University of Texas

9-0

Houston

7-6

Texas

Houston

No. 7 Softball blasts five HR’s in 9-0 (5 inn.) road rout of Houston

03.03.2021 | Softball

Box Score

The five HR’s tied for the second-most in a single game in Texas program history

HOUSTON, Texas – On Wednesday night at the Cougar Softball Stadium, a season-high five HR's provided more than enough offense to back freshman pitcher Ryleigh White's first career two-hit shutout as No. 7 Texas softball (9-0) rolled past Houston (7-6) via the run-rule, 9-0 (5 inn.).

Important Notes

Texas' five HR's against Houston tied for the second-most in a single game in program history. The most recent occurrence of five HR's in a game prior to Wednesday came against Texas A&M at the NCAA Lafayette Regional back on May 20, 2016.
Texas has now hit 17 HR's through its first nine games of 2021. The Longhorns bashed just 24 total HR's over 27 games during their shortened 2020 campaign.
Junior third baseman Mary Iakopo registered her second career two-HR game during the victory over Houston (previous occurrence was against Texas State back on April 3, 2019) and equaled her career-high with five RBIs.
Iakopo has now blasted six combined HR's over Texas' last six contests dating back to Feb. 26.
In all, 18 different Longhorns received playing time during the five-inning win at Houston as every position starter (except for pitcher and DP) was subbed out by the bottom of the fourth.
White tossed her first complete-game shutout (two-hitter) in the victory over Houston and struck out a career-high seven batters.
With a first-inning single, junior second baseman Janae Jefferson extended her streak of reaching base safely to 26 consecutive games.
Rookie catcher/first baseman JJ Smith hammered her first collegiate HR to center in the top of the fourth.
Texas scored in the first inning for the seventh time this season and is now out-scoring opponents over the opening three frames this season by a combined total of 54-6.
Texas improved to 28-6 all-time against Houston and 8-3 in road match-ups.

Major Players

Junior third baseman Mary Iakopo (2-for-2, two runs, two HR's, five RBIs); senior center fielder Shannon Rhodes (1-for-1, two runs, walk, HR, two RBIs); freshman catcher/first baseman JJ Smith (1-for-2, HR, RBI); redshirt junior pinch hitter Taylor Ellsworth (1-for-1, HR, RBI)

In the Circle

White took a no-hit bid into the bottom of the fourth before settling for a complete-game, two-hit shutout with zero walks and a career-high seven strikeouts.

The Details

Texas' offense wasted no time getting the power bats going against Houston, erupting for four runs on three hits in grabbing a 4-0, first-inning lead.

As she so often does, two-time All-American Janae Jefferson kicked off the outburst with a single to center before quickly coming around to score on Rhodes' fifth HR of 2021. With sophomore catcher Colleen Sullivan aboard via walk, Iakopo stepped up and cranked a two-run shot to center.

After White struck out the Cougar side in the bottom of the first, the Longhorns exploded for three more runs in the top of the second.

Following a Kaitlyn Washington base knock and a Rhodes walk, Iakopo struck again with a three-run bomb to left center to expand the UT advantage to 7-0.

UT's 6-1 right hander in the circle allowed her first base runner on a one-out hit-by-pitch in the second. Her defense quickly backed her up, however, as freshman shortstop Alyssa Washington, Jefferson and junior first baseman Lauren Burke combined for an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

In the top of the fourth, Smith and Ellsworth contributed to the party with HR's to center and right center, respectively, as the Texas offensive output was finalized at nine runs.

With her no-hit bid still intact with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, White allowed Houston third baseman Sarah Queen to hit a sinking liner to left. Newly entered into the game, freshman left fielder Carlee Ratcliff made a valiant diving attempt to preserve the no-hitter, but had the ball tip off her glove for UH's first hit of the contest. A fielder's choice play to second soon ended the frame with no further damage.

Down to one final attempt to avoid the run-rule, Houston got a one-out double down the right field line, but that was all as White completed the shutout behind her seventh K and a pop-up to short.