The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
28-3
UT Arlington
11-21
No. 7/8 Softball cruises past UT Arlington, 12-0 (5 inn.)
04.07.2021 | Softball
The Longhorns offense erupted for 14 total hits, including four home runs, during the triumph
ARLINGTON, Texas – On Wednesday night at Allan Saxe Field, No. 7/8 Texas softball (28-3) banged out 14 total hits, including four HR's, in blanking UT Arlington, 12-0 (5 inn.).
Important Notes
- At 28-3, Texas is tied with the 2006 & 2011 Longhorns for the second-best 31-game start in school history.
- Texas is currently riding a season-long 11-game winning streak dating back to March 19.
- Texas hit at least four HR's in a single game for the fourth time in 2021.
- Texas picked up its 12th run-rule win of the season, just three from tying the 2019 Longhorns for the school single-season record.
- The Longhorns have now blasted 49 HR's this year in 31 games. The 2010 Texas squad that set the school single-season mark of 88 HR's managed 46 over its opening 31 contests.
- Texas improved to a perfect 3-0 against UT Arlington this season and raised its series advantage over the Mavericks to 27-2 all-time, including 7-0 in road games.
- With her team-leading 13th HR of the season, senior center fielder Shannon Rhodes remains well ahead of the school single-season record pace of former Longhorns standout Taylor Hoagland (18 HRs in 2012, HR every 9.9 AB's) at a HR every 7.0 AB's.
- Texas registered six more two-out RBIs against UTA to boost its season total to 83. In all, 37% of the Longhorns RBIs this season have come with two retired in a frame.
Major Players
Freshman designated player Courtney Day (3-for-3, two runs, HR, three RBIs); Rhodes (2-for-4, run, HR, two RBIs); senior pinch hitter Kaitlyn Washington (1-for-1, run, HR, three RBIs); redshirt junior catcher Taylor Ellsworth (1-for-1, run, HR, RBI); junior left fielder Lauren Burke (2-for-3, run, double); freshman pinch runner/third baseman Camille Corona (1-for-1, two runs, RBI).
In the Circle
Graduate transfer Molly Jacobsen improved to 11-2 overall after striking out three over 3.0 innings of two-hit work. Freshman Ryleigh White allowed two hits, walked one and K'ed one in 2.0 frames of relief.
The Details
Following a quiet opening frame for both teams, the Longhorns offense came alive with two outs in the second by plating four runs on five hits. Ellsworth kicked the outburst off by launching a solo HR to left center. With Burke aboard on a double to right center, Day stepped up and blasted a two-run shot to center on the first pitch she received from UTA starter Laura Henriksen. After a JJ Smith walk and a Janae Jefferson bunt single, Rhodes lined a RBI single up the middle to boost the Texas advantage to 4-0.
Texas plated three more tallies in the top of the third on a Day RBI single, a double steal with runners on the corners and an errant catcher's throw into center.
After UTA left two stranded in its half of the third, the Longhorns blew the game wide open in the top of the fourth. Rhodes christened the frame with a solo HR to right and Kaitlyn Washington followed four batters later with a towering three-run shot to right center to make it 11-0.
UTA stationed two aboard with two down in the bottom of the fourth against White on singles from first baseman Aileen Garcia and center fielder Reagan Hukill, but couldn't come up with a big hit as shortstop Emily Evans flied out harmlessly to right.
Texas added one more in the fifth on a two-out Camille Corona RBI single to left center for a 12-0 advantage.
From there, White allowed a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fifth, but nothing else as a line out, a ground out and a fly out ended the contest.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jacobsen, Molly (11-2)
L: Henriksen, Laura (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Burke, Lauren 1
HR: Rhodes, Shannon 1 ; Ellsworth, Taylor 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1 ; Day, Courtney 1
RBI: Rhodes, Shannon 2 ; Corona, Camille 1 ; Ellsworth, Taylor 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 3 ; Day, Courtney 3
SH: Ellsworth, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rhodes, Shannon 1 ; Tedder, MK 2 ; Corona, Camille 2 ; Parker, McKenzie 1 ; Ellsworth, Taylor 1 ; Washington, Kaitlyn 1 ; Burke, Lauren 1 ; Day, Courtney 2 ; Smith, JJ 1
SB: Parker, McKenzie 1 ; Day, Courtney 1 ; Smith, JJ 1
