The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
11-8
Miami (OH)
4-7
Softball splits on day two of the T-Mobile Crimson Classic
03.05.2022 | Softball
The Longhorns bashed three straight HR’s during the fifth inning of the 14-3 (5 inn.) rout of Miami (Ohio)
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – On Saturday in day two action at the T-Mobile Crimson Classic, Texas softball (11-9) bashed its way past Miami (Ohio), 14-3 (5 inn.), before dropping a 3-1 decision to No. 2 Alabama.
Notes
- In the fifth inning against Miami (Ohio), Texas' Mary Iakopo, Katie Cimusz & Jordyn Whitaker combined to blast three consecutive HR's for only the third time in program history and for the first time since March 2, 2013.
- Following Saturday's action, Texas third baseman Mia Scott (12 games) and Cimusz (11 games) are currently riding the squad's two longest reached base streaks of the season.
- Texas' 14 runs and 14 hits versus Miami (Ohio) tied season highs for the Longhorns offense, while UT's four HR's and 30 total bases marked the most in a single game this year.
- Catcher Katie Cimusz's HR against Miami (Ohio) made it a HR in four-of-five games for the freshman over a stretch from Feb. 28-March 5.
- Sophomore designated player Courtney Day equaled her career-high with three hits and established a new career mark with four RBIs during the victory over Miami (Ohio).
- Senior pitcher Hailey Dolcini's 150 pitches against No. 2 Alabama marked her most in a start this season and are believed to be the most in a single outing for the Ferndale, Calif., native since tossing 167 pitches against Cal State Fullerton while at Fresno State back on March 1, 2020.
Major Players
vs. Miami:
Sophomore designated player Courtney Day (3-for-3, run, double, four RBIs); senior first baseman Mary Iakopo (2-for-3, three runs, walk, HR, three RBIs); junior outfielder Lou Gilbert (2-for-4, run, triple, two RBIs); sophomore outfielder Bella Dayton (1-for-3, HR, two RBIs); freshman catcher Katie Cimusz (2-for-4, run, HR, RBI); sophomore pinch hitter Jordyn Whitaker (1-for-1, HR, RBI); sophomore shortstop Alyssa Washington (1-for-3, double, RBI)
vs. Alabama:
Senior left fielder Lauren Burke (1-for-3, run); Iakopo (1-for-4); Dayton (1-for-2, walk); Day (1-for-1); sophomore pinch hitter JJ Smith (bases-loaded walk, RBI)
In the Circle
vs. Miami:
Sophomore Estelle Czech improved to 3-1 overall after allowing one earned run on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts over 3.2 innings of work. Junior Shea O'Leary walked one and struck out three during 1.1 frames of one-hit relief.
vs. Alabama:
Senior Hailey Dolcini (4-3) suffered the loss after permitting three earned runs on four hits with six walks and four K's over 5.2 innings. Junior Logan Hulon came on in the sixth to toss one-third of a frame of perfect relief.
The Details
vs. Miami:
Texas' top-of-the-lineup speed showed right from the start of the contest against Miami. Scott stretched her UT season-high hit streak to 10 games by leading off the game with a base hit up the middle. She wasted no time hustling from first to third on a perfect Jefferson bunt single. With two in scoring position after a Jefferson steal, Iakopo bounced a single up the middle for a 1-0 lead. From there, a failed fielder's choice play to load the bases, a two-run Day double off the wall in right center and a two-RBI Gilbert triple to left center boosted the Texas advantage to 5-0.
After leaving two runners stranded in the bottom of the first, Miami finally broke through during the second as three singles through the left side combined for a two-out run to cut the gap to 5-1.
With Gilbert in scoring position following a two-out bunt single and a steal, Dayton stepped to the plate and slapped a two-run HR out to right to extend the Texas lead to 7-1.
The Longhorns added three more unearned tallies to the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. With a pair on after two Miami errors, Day lifted a shallow pop-up to left center that dropped in between three Redhawk fielders for a two-run single. Washington followed immediately with a RBI double down the left-field line as Texas' advantage expanded to 10-1.
A dropped fly ball in left opened the door for Miami to scratch across two unearned runs of its own in the bottom of the fourth as first baseman Allie Cummins and designated player Lily Wilmot each registered RBI singles to make it 10-3.
Texas soon boosted its advantage to 14-3 in the top of the fifth by accomplishing a feat it hadn't managed since March 2, 2013, as Iakopo, Cimusz and Whitaker combined to blast three consecutive HR's.
Needing to score four times to avoid the run-rule, Miami went down in order against O'Leary on a groundout to second and consecutive strikeouts.
vs. Alabama:
After Bama left a pair stranded in the first, Texas seriously threatened with two outs in the second by loading the bases on Burke, Whitaker and Dayton walks. That set the stage for the Longhorns to grab an early lead as Smith also fought to draw a free pass and force in a run to make it 1-0.
The Crimson Tide got the first two batters aboard to begin the bottom of the third as left fielder Jenna Johnson walked and center fielder Dallis Goodnight beat out a bunt single to the circle. Following a wild pitch, Dolcini and Bama catcher Ally Shipman battled it out over a 13-pitch at-bat before a RBI groundout to short tied things up at 1-1. With runners on the corners and two out, the Tide ran a double steal play with Goodnight scampering home to grant UA its first lead at 2-1.
Texas threatened again with one out in the fourth as Whitaker was hit by a pitch and Dayton singled through the right side. Unfortunately, a strikeout and a high bouncer to third left two more UT runners stranded.
With time starting to run short, the Longhorns mounted another major scoring opportunity in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with two outs on a Bama error, a Day single and a walk. Fouts again danced her way out of danger as a strikeout raised Texas' left-on-base number to 10.
Alabama added a huge insurance run in the bottom of the sixth as third baseman Ashley Prange's leadoff double was eventually cashed in on a RBI groundout to make it 3-1.
Needing some life in the top of the seventh, Burke supplied it by driving a two-out single up the middle. Stepping to the plate representing the potential tying run, Whitaker launched a drive to deep right, but Alabama's Kat Grill caught it on the warning track to seal UA's victory.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Czech, Estelle (3-1)
L: Brianna Pratt (3-3)
Batting:
2B: Day, Courtney 1 ; Washington, Alyssa 1
3B: Gilbert, Lou 1
HR: Iakopo, Mary 1 ; Cimusz, Katie 1 ; Whitaker, Jordyn 1 ; Dayton, Bella 1
RBI: Iakopo, Mary 3 ; Cimusz, Katie 1 ; Whitaker, Jordyn 1 ; Day, Courtney 4 ; Washington, Alyssa 1 ; Gilbert, Lou 2 ; Dayton, Bella 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Scott, Mia 2 ; Jefferson, Janae 1 ; Iakopo, Mary 3 ; Cimusz, Katie 1 ; Corona, Camille 1 ; Cantu, Brianna 1 ; Whitaker, Jordyn 1 ; Day, Courtney 1 ; Popelka, Alyssa 1 ; Gilbert, Lou 1 ; Dayton, Bella 1
SB: Jefferson, Janae 1 ; Corona, Camille 1 ; Gilbert, Lou 1
Batting:
2B: Lily Wilmot 1
RBI: Allie Cummins 2 ; Lily Wilmot 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Holly Blaska 1 ; Riley Coyne 1 ; Maclai Branson 1
