No. 18 Softball drops series opener to No. 1 Oklahoma, 3-0

Thursday, April 14

Austin, Texas

6 p.m. CT

University of Texas

30-11-1, 6-1

#1 Oklahoma

37-0, 7-0

Oklahoma

Texas

No. 18 Softball drops series opener to No. 1 Oklahoma, 3-0

04.14.2022 | Softball

Box Score

The Longhorns brought the potential tying run to the plate in the sixth inning but couldn’t break through

AUSTIN, Texas – On Thursday night in front of the second-largest crowd (1,498) in Red & Charline McCombs Field history, No. 18 Texas softball (30-11-1, 6-1 Big 12 Conference) managed to out-hit No. 1 Oklahoma (37-0, 7-0 Big 12 Conference) but couldn't find a breakthrough in suffering a 3-0, series-opening loss.

Notes

No. 1 Oklahoma's three total hits marked the fewest in a game for the Sooners this season. The previous low for the nation's top-ranked offense was four during a 3-1 win over Baylor back on March 27.
Texas senior catcher Mary Iakopo was struck by a pitch to extend her reached base streak to 14 games.
Senior second baseman Janae Jefferson managed her 326th career hit, just seven short of breaking the Big 12 Conference career hits record (Sami Williams – 332 hits).
Tonight's attendance of 1,498 was the second largest in McCombs Field history behind a crowd of 1,570 for a game against Oklahoma State back on April 30, 2006.
Senior pitcher Hailey Dolcini's 120 pitches were her third most in a game this year (at Alabama on March 5 – 150 pitches & vs. Iowa State on April 2 – 128 pitches) and her most in a complete game in 2022.

Major Players

Senior second baseman Janae Jefferson (1-for-3); freshman third baseman Mia Scott (1-for-3, double); sophomore shortstop Alyssa Washington (1-for-3); sophomore right fielder Courtney Day (1-for-3)

In the Circle

Senior right hander Hailey Dolcini (13-5) pitched well in taking a tough loss. The Ferndale, Calif., native limited the nation's top-ranked offense to two earned runs on just three hits with a walk and four K's over 7.0 innings.

The Details

Oklahoma used a crucial Texas miscue to plate an unearned run for a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. With second baseman Tiare Jennings in scoring position after the leadoff fielding error, a K and a groundout back to the circle, shortstop Grace Lyons stepped into the box and chopped a two-out RBI single up the middle.

After the Longhorns left a runner stranded in the first, the Sooners quickly doubled their advantage in the second as center fielder Jayda Coleman hit a solo HR that bounced off the top of the wall in center to make it 2-0.

Texas managed its first hit of the contest with two outs in the bottom of the second as Day chopped a single through the left side of the infield. A passed ball moved the UT runner into scoring position, but Oklahoma starter Jordy Bahl got out of the frame with no damage by inducing a bouncer to second.

Dolcini soon settled into the circle, retiring 10 of 11 Sooners from the second through the fourth innings.

OU left fielder Alyssa Brito eventually broke through again for the Sooners with one down in the top of the fifth by hitting a solo HR down the left field line to expand the advantage to 3-0.

Texas sophomore left fielder Bella Dayton drew a two-out walk to grant the Longhorns a base runner in the bottom of the fifth, but a strikeout left her stranded.

The Longhorns strung together their biggest scoring opportunity in the bottom of the sixth. With Jefferson aboard on a leadoff single, Scott hammered a double to the wall in center to bring the potential tying run to the plate with no outs. Facing a huge spot, Bahl responded for the Sooners as the freshman ace struck out three straight Texas batters to end the threat.

The Burnt Orange & White got the leadoff on again in the bottom of the seventh as Washington singled through the left side. That was all the Horns could get, however, as Bahl again K'ed three in a row to end the OU win.