The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Drake
Softball wraps up Sunday play at the Bevo Classic
03.13.2022 | Softball
The Longhorns shutout Drake (7-0) before battling Minnesota to a 10-10 (6 inn.) tie
AUSTIN, Texas – On Sunday afternoon during final day action of the Bevo Classic, Texas softball (16-9-1) shutout Drake (7-0) before rallying late to tie Minnesota (10-10, 6 inn.) in a game ended through a "drop dead" time because of the Golden Gophers' travel plans.
Notes
- The last time Texas had a game end in a tie was back on March 15, 2008, when the Longhorns and North Carolina deadlocked at 1-1. This marks the program's fourth all-time tie since starting play in 1997.
- Texas hit .404 combined as a team, scored 38 runs, managed 22 extra-base hits, including seven HR's and posted a 1.267 OPS over its four Bevo Classic games.
- Freshman catcher Katie Cimusz (17 games – longest Texas reached base streak of the season) and sophomore outfielder Bella Dayton (10 games) are each riding reached base streaks of 10+ games.
- With two hits on Sunday, senior second baseman Janae Jefferson now sits just one hit from becoming the first Texas & fifth all-time Big 12 Conference player to reach the 300-career-hit milestone.
- Against Drake, sophomore pitcher Estelle Czech registered a career-high eight strikeouts, while sophomore center fielder Alyssa Popelka posted a career-best three RBIs.
Major Players
vs. Drake:
Junior designated player McKenzie Parker (1-for-3, run, HR, RBI); senior first baseman Mary Iakopo (1-for-4, two runs, HR, RBI); sophomore center fielder Alyssa Popelka (2-for-2, run, triple, three RBIs); freshman catcher Katie Cimusz (2-for-3, run); sophomore pinch hitter JJ Smith (1-for-1, double, RBI)
vs. Minnesota:
Iakopo (2-for-4, run, double, four RBIs); Parker (2-for-4, run, two RBIs); freshman third baseman Mia Scott (2-for-4, two runs, double); senior second baseman Janae Jefferson (2-for-5, two runs); sophomore shortstop Alyssa Washington (2-for-3, run, walk, two doubles, two RBIs); sophomore center fielder Bella Dayton (1-for-2, run, two walks, HR, RBI)
In the Circle
vs. Drake:
Sophomore Estelle Czech (5-1) was terrific in earning the win, striking out eight while allowing just one hit over 6.0 innings. Junior Shea O'Leary permitted one hit and struck out two during a single frame of relief.
vs. Minnesota:
No pitcher earned a decision as a result of the tie
The Details
vs. Drake:
A Drake fielding error opened the door for the Longhorns to grab the lead in the bottom of the second. With Iakopo on via miscue, Cimusz singled down the left field line, and Dayton walked to load the bases. Popelka kicked off a strong game at the dish by blooping a two-RBI single just over short for a 2-0 lead.
Iakopo made it 3-0 in the bottom of the third as the Carson, Calif., native blasted her fourth HR of the season on a solo shot out to left center.
In the circle for Texas, Czech was rolling along, retiring nine straight Bulldogs in a stretch from the second through the fourth innings.
Popelka delivered again in the bottom of the fourth by driving a RBI triple to right center. Jefferson later added a RBI on a groundout to second as the Burnt Orange & White's advantage expanded to 5-0.
Parker made it 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth by hammering the first pitch of the frame to right center for a solo HR.
Meanwhile, Czech continued to excel, raising her retired count to 15 straight through the top of the sixth.
Texas' advantage grew to 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth as Smith blasted a run-scoring double down into the left field corner.
From there, O'Leary allowed one hit during the Drake seventh, but that was it, as the 6-2 right-hander finished off the Longhorns victory.
vs. Minnesota:
Minnesota wasted no time jumping to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first as catcher Sara Kinch hit a three-run HR to left.
The Burnt Orange & White utilized its top-of-the-order speed to claw back within 3-2 in the bottom of the first. After consecutive singles from Jefferson and Scott to begin the frame, Iakopo hit a chopper to second that was misplayed by UM's Sydney Strelow. With the ball rolling loose near second, Jefferson scored easily, while Scott took advantage of a slow defensive reaction to scamper home.
Three walks quickly loaded the bases for the Golden Gophers in the top of the second. Left fielder Ellee Jensen stepped into the box and made it 4-2 by hitting a sacrifice fly to left center.
Texas strung together another major threat during the bottom of the second by packing the bags with two down. Parker soon made it 4-3 by bouncing a RBI single up the middle. It was almost more for Texas, as Iakopo launched a drive to right center, but Minnesota's Chloe Evans tracked the ball down on the run to leave three Longhorns stranded.
UM utilized two doubles and a single to plate two more and extend its advantage to 6-3 in the top of the fourth.
Iakopo quickly cut the UT deficit to 6-4 in the bottom half by launching a RBI double to right center.
The back-and-forth continued into the fifth as Minnesota utilized HR's from right fielder Chloe Evans and third baseman Kayla Chavez to expand the gap to a commanding 10-4.
Texas began battling back immediately in the bottom of the fifth as Dayton drove a solo HR out to right center.
With time beginning to run short, facing a pre-determined 3 p.m. CT "drop dead" time, the Longhorns got to work by sending 10 players to the plate in the bottom of the sixth. A Parker RBI single and a two-run Iakopo blast clawed Texas back within 10-8. Following a Cimusz walk and a Day double down the right field line to station runners in scoring position with one down, Washington delivered a clutch, two-run double to the wall in left to tie the game at 10-10. UT nearly grabbed the lead, but Washington was thrown out at the plate on a fielder's choice play.
Starting the top of the seventh at 2:57 p.m. CT, Minnesota was able to send two batters to the plate before the "drop dead" time brought an end to proceedings with a final score of 10-10.
