No. 7/9 Softball finishes Big 12-opening sweep of Texas Tech, 2-1

Saturday, April 3

Austin, Texas

1 p.m. CT

University of Texas

27-3, 3-0

Texas Tech

16-16, 0-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Texas Tech	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	0
Texas	0	0	0	0	2	0	X	2	5	1

No. 7/9 Softball finishes Big 12-opening sweep of Texas Tech, 2-1

04.03.2021 | Softball

Box Score

Sophomore pitcher Shea O’Leary struck out a career-high 11 batters during the complete-game victory

AUSTIN, Texas – On Saturday afternoon at Red & Charline McCombs Field, sophomore pitcher Shea O'Leary struck out a career-high 11 batters during a complete-game gem, while freshman designated player Courtney Day delivered a key, two-RBI double in the fifth inning to help No. 7/9 Texas softball (27-3, 3-0 Big 12 Conference) complete its league series sweep of Texas Tech (16-16, 0-6 Big 12 Conference), 2-1.

Important Notes

After rallying from a 1-0, fifth-inning deficit against Texas Tech, the Longhorns have now registered 10 come-from-behind victories when trailing at any point in the game during the 2021 campaign.
Texas is currently riding a 10-game winning streak for the second time this season. Its previous 10-contest winning skein occurred from Feb. 21-March 5.
Texas has started Big 12 play at a perfect 3-0 for the third-straight campaign (2018, 2019, 2021). There was no 2020 Big 12 Conference season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Texas improved to 49-11 overall in its all-time series against Texas Tech, including 22-4 at McCombs Field.
O'Leary broke her old career strikeout high (nine against UT Arlington on March 27) with 11 K's against Texas Tech. She went 2-0 in the series against the Red Raiders with two complete games, a 0.00 ERA and 18 K's over 14 innings of work.
Day's key fifth-inning double was her first two-bagger of the season for the Longhorns.
Texas improved to 22-1 at McCombs Field in 2021 and is now 65-9 at home under the guidance of head coach Mike White.

Major Players

Day (1-for-2, double, two RBIs); redshirt junior left fielder Taylor Ellsworth (2-for-2, run); junior first baseman Lauren Burke (1-for-2, run, stolen base); junior second baseman Janae Jefferson (1-for-2)

In the Circle

O'Leary improved to 7-0 after allowing one unearned run on five hits with a walk and a season-high 11 strikeouts over a complete-game effort.

The Details

Texas Tech jumped to a first-inning lead for the second straight day. Left fielder Yvonne Whaley kicked things off by beating out a bunt single. Right fielder Heaven Burton stepped into the box and drew a walk. Unfortunately for the Horns, Whaley took off trying to steal second on ball four and an unnecessary throw down to second got away as the speedster raced around to third. That set the stage for a RBI groundout from center fielder Karli Hamilton as the Red Raiders plated an unearned run for a 1-0 advantage.

Meanwhile, Texas managed two-out singles in both the second and third innings, but couldn't string anything else together against TTU starter Missy Zoch over the opening four frames.

O'Leary settled down after allowing the unearned tally, striking out five batters from the second through the fifth innings.

Texas finally broke through on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth to grab a 2-1 lead. Ellsworth started the outburst with a single up the middle and soon rolled around to third on Burke's base knock to right center. Following a Longhorns K, Day came to the plate and laced a two-RBI double just inside the line and down into the left field corner to clear the bases.

Suddenly in possession of the lead, O'Leary allowed a two-out single to Texas Tech in both the sixth and seventh, but nothing else, as the 6-2 right hander finished off the game on her career-high 11th strikeout.