No. 24/23 Softball opens Big 12 play with a 7-6 win at Kansas

Friday, March 25

Lawrence, Kan.

6 p.m. CT

University of Texas

24-9-1, 1-0

Kansas

10-16, 0-1

Texas

Kansas

No. 24/23 Softball opens Big 12 play with a 7-6 win at Kansas

03.25.2022 | Softball

Box Score

Sophomore shortstop Alyssa Washington led the offense by going 3-for-4 with a double, a HR and three RBIs

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Another successful Big 12 Conference opener is in the books for No. 24/23 Texas softball (24-9-1, 1-0 Big 12) as the Longhorns utilized a key, six-run third inning in battling past Kansas (10-16, 0-1 Big 12) in both teams' league lid-lifter on Friday night at Arrocha Ballpark, 7-6.

Notes

The Longhorns are now riding a season-long 14-game unbeaten streak (13-0-1) dating back to March 6.
Texas improved to 18-7 all-time in Big 12 openers and has now won four straight.
Sophomore shortstop Alyssa Washington registered a career-high three hits in the opener at KU.
UT moved to 6-1 all-time against Kansas in Big 12 openers (2-1 in Lawrence).
With Friday's rally from an early 1-0 deficit, the Longhorns have now fought back to win or tie while training at any point in a game on nine occasions in 2022.
With a seventh-inning single, junior designated player McKenzie Parker stretched her reached base streak to 17 straight games.
Texas is now 43-14 all-time against Kansas, including a 21-10 mark on the road in Lawrence.

Major Players

Sophomore shortstop Alyssa Washington (3-for-4, two runs, double, HR, three RBIs); sophomore left fielder Bella Dayton (1-for-3, two RBIs); freshman third baseman Mia Scott (1-for-4, run, RBI); sophomore right fielder Courtney Day (0-for-1, run, walk, RBI)

In the Circle

Senior pitcher Hailey Dolcini (10-3) reached double-digits for wins after allowing one earned run on two hits with a walk and seven strikeouts over 3.1 innings of relief.

The Details

Kansas jumped to a first-inning advantage as shortstop Ashlyn Anderson hit a one-out HR to center to grant the Jayhawks a 1-0 lead.

The Longhorns threatened for the first time in the top of the second as a Courtney Day walk and a Washington single through the left side put two on with one out. KU starter Kasey Hamilton battled her way out of trouble, however, by inducing back-to-back pop-ups to strand the pair.

Texas' offense got back to work in the top of the third as consecutive Kansas errors on an Alyssa Popelka bunt and a Jefferson liner to left center put two Longhorns in scoring position with no outs. Scott wasted no time tying the game at 1-1 by driving a RBI single up the middle. After a failed fielder's choice play loaded the bases, Day took one for the team by getting struck with a pitch to force in a run to make it 2-1. Washington stepped up next and drove in two more on a double to right center as the lead expanded further to 4-1. A two-RBI Dayton single past first soon finalized the count at six runs in the frame as the Longhorns batted around in grabbing a 6-1 advantage.

The Jayhawks responded right back in their half of third, putting two aboard with two outs. That set the stage for KU's Savanna DesRochers as the designated player hit a ball to right that eluded a Texas defender for a two-run triple to cut the Kansas deficit to 6-3.

Kansas clawed within 6-5 in the bottom of the fourth as Anderson laced a two-out, two-run double to the wall in right center.

With Texas looking for some insurance on the scoreboard, Washington supplied some opening the sixth by hammering a solo shot to left to make it 7-5.

That proved to be a vital run as KU answered in its half of the sixth with a Macy Omli solo HR to center to draw the Jayhawks back within one at 7-6.

Dolcini soon wrapped the game up in style in the seventh as the senior right hander struck out the Kansas side.