The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
35-6, 9-3
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Kansas
22-20, 2-10
No. 9/12 Softball completes series sweep of Kansas, 10-8
04.25.2021 | Softball
The Longhorns offense bashed three more HR’s against the Jayhawks to improve their season total to 68
AUSTIN, Texas – On Sunday afternoon in a back-and-forth contest at Red & Charline McCombs Field, back-to-back, sixth-inning HR's from junior designated player Mary Iakopo and senior left fielder Kaitlyn Washington proved the difference as No. 9/12 Texas softball (35-6, 9-3 Big 12 Conference) fought off a tough challenge from Kansas (22-20, 2-10 Big 12 Conference) to complete a three-game league series sweep, 10-8.
Important Notes
- Texas' offense has now scored in double figures 13 times this season, including the last two games in its series versus Kansas.
- Junior left fielder Lauren Burke's four RBIs established a new season-high and tied her career high set against Texas Southern back on March 7, 2020.
- Senior center fielder Shannon Rhodes recorded her 49th RBI of the season on Sunday, good for fourth in the Texas single-season record book. Former Longhorns standouts Lindsey Stephens (2014) and Taylor Thom (2013) own the program mark with 66 RBIs.
- Iakopo and Washington's back-to-back, sixth-inning HR's marked the fourth time that the Longhorns have hit consecutive HR's this year. The previous instances came against Mississippi State (Shannon Rhodes & Iakopo), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Janae Jefferson & Shannon Rhodes) and Texas State (Jordyn Whitaker & JJ Smith).
- With three HR's on Sunday against Kansas, the Longhorns have now registered multiple HR's in a game 20 times this season.
- Iakopo's HR was her 13th of the year, keeping her on a pace of a HR every 7.8 AB's this season. Back during the 2012 season, former Longhorns standout Taylor Hoagland established the school single-season record of 18 HR's by hitting a big fly every 9.9 AB's.
- Texas improved to 26-1 at McCombs Field this season to move within one home victory of tying the 2019 Longhorns for the fifth-most home wins in program history.
- Texas is a perfect 30-0 when out-hitting opponents this year and improved to 91-11 under the guidance of head coach Mike White when putting more hits up on the scoreboard.
- Texas is now 42-14 all-time against Kansas, including 21-4 in Austin match-ups, and has won the last 12 series meetings in a row.
Major Players
Burke (3-for-4, double, four RBIs); sophomore shortstop McKenzie Parker (3-for-4, run, two doubles, HR, two RBIs); senior center fielder Shannon Rhodes (2-for-3, two runs, two doubles, RBI); Kaitlyn Washington (1-for-2, run, HR, RBI); Iakopo (1-for-3, run, HR, RBI)
In the Circle
Freshman right hander Courtney Day (4-0) picked up the win after allowing three earned runs on seven hits with four walks and six strikeouts over 5.1 innings of work.
The Details
After Kansas stranded two runners in the top of the first, the Longhorns manufactured a run in the bottom half. With Rhodes at second after a one-out double off the very top of the wall in center, Burke picked up her first RBI of the day by driving a bouncer back up the middle to make it 1-0.
The Jayhawks struck right back in the top of the second after loading the bases on two singles and a walk to open the frame. Center fielder Brittany Jackson tied things up on a sacrifice fly to left before left fielder Macy Omli boosted KU to a 3-1 advantage with a two-run double off the wall in left.
The back-and-forth contest continued as Texas put five runs up on the board in the bottom of the second on three hits, two walks and a Kansas error. Parker kick-started the outburst by launching the first pitch of the inning out to right to cut the UT deficit to 3-2. A run-scoring Jayhawk throwing error, a Rhodes sac fly to center and Burke's two-RBI double to right boosted the Horns back in front, 6-3.
Kansas packed the bags again with two outs in the top of the fourth, but freshman reliever Ryleigh White got third baseman Ashlyn Anderson to fly out harmlessly to center to end the threat.
Texas seemed to be in full command of the contest after adding a Burke RBI single and a Parker RBI double to grab an 8-3 advantage in the bottom of the fourth.
The Jayhawks continued to battle, however, exploding for five runs on four hits in the top of the fifth to tie the contest at 8-8.
The Burnt Orange & White eventually broke the dead lock during the bottom of the sixth as Iakopo and Kaitlyn Washington hammered back-to-back HR's to make it 10-8.
Jackson singled to left center with one out in the seventh to bring the tying run to the plate for Kansas, but Day finished off the contest on a fielder's choice and her sixth strikeout.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Day, Courtney (4-0)
L: Reed, Hailey (7-5)
.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
Batting:
2B: Jackson, Brittany 1 ; Omli, Macy 1
RBI: Jackson, Brittany 2 ; Omli, Macy 4 ; Buzard, Sophia 2
SH: Omli, Macy 1 ; Harper, Haleigh 1
SF: Jackson, Brittany 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jackson, Brittany 1 ; Hirsch, Madison 1 ; Hornbuckle, Cheyenne 1 ; Gayre, Shelby 1 ; Moore, Lyric 1 ; Travieso, Tarin 1 ; Renzi, Peyton 1 ; Harper, Haleigh 1
HBP: Gayre, Shelby 1
Batting:
2B: Rhodes, Shannon 2 ; Burke, Lauren 1 ; Parker, McKenzie 2
HR: Iakopo, Mary 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1 ; Parker, McKenzie 1
RBI: Rhodes, Shannon 1 ; Burke, Lauren 4 ; Iakopo, Mary 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1 ; Parker, McKenzie 2
SF: Rhodes, Shannon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jefferson, Janae 1 ; Rhodes, Shannon 2 ; Iakopo, Mary 1 ; Corona, Camille 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1 ; Parker, McKenzie 1 ; Williams, Bailey 1 ; Day, Courtney 1 ; Smith, JJ 1
SB: Jefferson, Janae 1
HBP: Iakopo, Mary 1
