Softball completes thrilling series sweep of No. 20/18 LSU

Saturday, March 19

Austin, Texas

2 p.m. CT

University of Texas

20-9-1

#20/18 LSU

20-9

LSU

Texas

Softball completes thrilling series sweep of No. 20/18 LSU

03.19.2022 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Texas fought back from a 10-4 deficit to an 11-10 walk-off win in the second game of Saturday’s DH

AUSTIN, Texas – In front of a season-best, sell-out crowd of 1,292 fans on Saturday at Red & Charline McCombs Field, Texas softball (21-9-1) ran its unbeaten streak to 11 consecutive games by completing a series sweep of No. 20/18 LSU (20-10) by scores of 4-0 & 11-10.

Facing a 10-4, sixth-inning deficit in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, the Longhorns struck for five runs in the sixth before finishing off a thrilling, comeback win on a two-run, walk-off McKenzie Parker double.

Notes

The last time Texas won five consecutive games against ranked opponents in a single season was from Feb. 24-March 6, 2013. UT has now won five straight after sweeping a mid-week DH at No. 23/RV Louisiana and sweeping this weekend's three-game series from No. 20/18 LSU.
Texas is now unbeaten over its last 11 games (10-0-1) dating back to March 6 and has now registered five wins over ranked teams (two at No. 23/RV Louisiana, three vs. No. 20/18 LSU) in the last four days.
Before the first two games of this weekend's series, the last time LSU had been shut out in back-to-back games was on April 14, 2017, at No. 22 Ole Miss, 1-0 (8 inn.) & 1-0.
The 11-10 victory in Saturday's second contest marked the first Texas walk-off win since March 27, 2021, against UT Arlington.
Texas has now rallied from a pair of 10-4 deficits to either tie or win a game in 2022 after battling back to tie Minnesota (March 13), 10-10, and Saturday's thrilling rally to an 11-10 triumph over LSU.
Senior second baseman Janae Jefferson set a new career-high with four runs scored during the 11-10 win over LSU
Freshman third baseman Mia Scott established new career-highs in hits (four) and RBIs (two) in the game two victory over the Tigers.
Freshman catcher Katie Cimusz registered her first career two-HR game by going deep twice in Saturday's 4-0, game one win over LSU.

Major Players

Game 1:

Freshman catcher Katie Cimusz (2-for-3, two runs, two HR's, two RBIs); senior first baseman Mary Iakopo (1-for-3, run, HR, RBI); junior shortstop McKenzie Parker (1-for-3, RBI); senior second baseman Janae Jefferson (1-for-2, run, walk)

Game 2:

Parker (2-for-3, run, two walks, walk-off double, two RBIs); Iakopo (2-for-4, run, three RBIs); freshman third baseman Mia Scott (4-for-5, three runs, double, two RBIs); Jefferson (1-for-3, four runs, two walks, RBI); sophomore right fielder Courtney Day (1-for-4, double, two RBIs), sophomore left fielder Bella Dayton (2-for-4, run)

In the Circle

Game 1:

Senior Hailey Dolcini (7-3) tossed a gem, allowing just one hit, walking three and striking out six in a complete-game triumph.

Game 2:

Sophomore Estelle Czech (8-1) picked up the victory after permitting three earned runs on five hits with no walks and one K over 2.0 frames of relief.

The Details

Game 1:

LSU put together a quick threat against Dolcini in the top of the first, getting walks from center fielder Ciara Briggs and first baseman Georgia Clark. With runners at the corners, Texas' 6-0 right hander fought out of the jam by inducing a groundout to short to end the frame as the Tigers missed a huge early chance.

Cimusz blasted the Longhorns in front in the second by launching her sixth HR of the season out to left center to make it 1-0.

Texas doubled its advantage in the bottom of the third to grab a 2-0 advantage. Jefferson flashed her speed by singling with one out, swiping second and moving to third on a throwing error. The Humble, Texas, native soon trotted home with two outs as Parker ripped a RBI single through the right side.

With the Horns searching for more, Cimusz provided some starting the bottom of the fourth as the freshman catcher crushed her second HR of the day to boost the gap to 3-0.

Meanwhile, Dolcini had truly settled into the circle for the Longhorns as the Ferndale, Calif., native hit a batter, with one out in the top of the fifth, but allowed nothing else as she retired 15 of the last 16 LSU batters she faced from the third through the seventh innings.

Iakopo eventually finalized Texas' offensive output in the bottom of the sixth by launching a solo shot out to center for a 4-0 advantage.

Game 2:

LSU struck immediately in the top of the first inning of what would turn into a wild contest by scoring three runs on four hits in grabbing a 3-0 lead. Center fielder Ciara Briggs got the Tigers on the board with a sacrifice fly, while first baseman Georgia Clark later added a two-run HR to center.

After the Purple & Gold plated another in the second on a McKenzie Redoutey solo HR to left, Texas threatened in the bottom half. With Cimusz at second on the combination of a single and a LSU miscue, Dayton roped a sharp single to center. Cimusz raced around third and tried to score but was thrown out at the plate by Briggs.

The Tigers utilized two Texas errors to score three unearned runs in the third to take a commanding 7-0 advantage.

That's when the Longhorns began to claw their way back, striking with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third on a run-scoring LSU error and an Iakopo RBI single to make it 7-2.

The Burnt Orange & White cut their deficit to 7-4 in the bottom of the fourth as Scott launched a two-out, two-run double to right center.

The Tigers eventually added three more tallies in the top of the sixth to extend their lead back to six. A Briggs RBI triple to the wall in center and consecutive RBI singles from shortstop Taylor Pleasants and Clark boosted the gap to what appeared to be an insurmountable 10-4.

Needing an immediate response, Dayton got Texas' offense going in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff single up the middle. Sophomore center fielder Alyssa Popelka followed with a walk and Jefferson drove a run-scoring base knock through the middle to make it 10-5. With the bags packed on a Scott hit and a Parker walk, Iakopo hammered a single into center to score two more Longhorns. Day eventually stepped into the box with one retired and launched a double off the left field wall to bring UT within a single tally at 10-9.

LSU pitcher Shelbi Sunseri got two quick outs in the bottom of the seventh before running into more trouble. The game-winning rally all started on what should have been the third out of the game as Tiger second baseman Sydney Peterson misplayed a routine Jefferson bouncer. Given new life, Texas took full advantage as Scott singled to center and Parker followed with the walk-off, two-RBI double to left to set off McCombs Field pandemonium.