No. 17/14 Softball wins split series opener at Baylor, 10-6

Friday, May 6

Waco, Texas

6:30 p.m. CT

University of Texas

36-15-1, 0

Baylor

27-22, 0

Texas

Baylor

No. 17/14 Softball wins split series opener at Baylor, 10-6

05.06.2022 | Softball

Box Score

Senior catcher Mary Iakopo led a 14-hit offensive charge by going 3-for-5 with a double and her 10th HR

WACO, Texas – On Friday night at Getterman Stadium, No. 17/14 Texas softball (36-15-1, 11-5 Big 12 Conference) built up an early eight-run lead, while banging out 14 total hits, and fought off a late rally bid to take the opener of its annual split league series at Baylor (27-22, 5-11 Big 12 Conference), 10-6.

Notes

Texas improved to a perfect 12-0 against Texas teams in 2022 and has now won its last 13 against "Lone Star State" squads dating back to a loss to Texas Tech at the 2021 Big 12 Championship.
With a HR to open the fourth, Baylor scored against Texas for the first time in a stretch of 27.1 straight innings dating back to May 5, 2019.
Senior catcher Mary Iakopo took over the team lead by blasting her 10th HR of the season. It also marked the 49th HR of her standout career spanning time spent at both Oregon and Texas.
With three doubles against Baylor, Texas now has 89 for the season, just three for breaking the single-season record of 91 doubles set by the 2019 Longhorns.
Senior second baseman Janae Jefferson went 1-for-4 to stretch her reached base streak to a season-long 18 games. It's the Humble, Texas, native's second career reached base streak of 18-or-more games after posting a 19-game skein from April 11-May 12, 2018.
With tonight's win, Texas now owns 27 victories this season over current RPI Top 100 teams.
Texas' 14 hits tied for the second most the Longhorns have had in a game this season. UT put up 15 hits in an 11-10 win over Iowa State back on April 2.

Major Players

Senior catcher Mary Iakopo (3-for-5, two runs, double, HR, three RBIs); junior first baseman McKenzie Parker (2-for-3, double, two RBIs); freshman third baseman Mia Scott (2-for-5, two runs, double); sophomore shortstop Alyssa Washington (2-for-3, run, RBI); sophomore center fielder Alyssa Popelka (1-for-3, run, RBI)

In the Circle

Senior Hailey Dolcini (17-7) started and finished the contest, picking up the win after allowing no runs on two hits with a walk and six strikeouts in two stints over 4.0 combined innings of work. Sophomore Estelle Czech permitted five earned runs on nine hits with no walks and no K's in 2.0 frames of relief.

The Details

The top of Texas' line-up wasted no time wreaking havoc on the bases in the top of the first. With Jefferson aboard after a dropped throw at first, Scott bounced a ball into the hole at short for a single. Hustling all the way, the speedster duo ended up standing in scoring position with no outs. A squeeze bunt attempt was missed and Jefferson found herself caught in a rundown between third and home. Unfortunately for the Bears, a throw to the plate proved wild as both Jefferson and Scott raced across to make it 2-0. With Iakopo on third following a double and a fielder's choice, Washington laced a RBI single through the right side to boost the lead to 3-0.

Baylor managed its first base runner of the game with two out in the bottom of the second as shortstop Aliyah Binford fought over a 13-pitch at-bat to line a single up the middle. That was all Dolcini would allow, however, as the senior right hander struck out third baseman Sydney Collazos to end the frame.

From the nine-spot in the batting order, Popelka got Texas off-and-running in the top of the fourth by beating out a bunt single, stealing second and moving up 60 feet on a passed ball. That set the stage for a Jefferson RBI as the three-time All-American ripped a base knock past first for a 4-0 advantage. With two aboard, after Scott hustled to beat out a single back to the circle, Parker stepped into the box and hammered a two-RBI double to right center to make it 6-0. It didn't take long for the gap to expand even further as Iakopo launched her 10th HR of the season down the left field line for an 8-0 lead as Texas eventually sent 10 batters to the plate during the frame.

Left fielder Taylor Strain greeted new Texas reliever Czech with a leadoff solo HR to right in the fourth as Baylor trimmed its deficit to 8-1. With two down and BU first baseman Emily Hott on third after a single, a throwing error and a groundout, Binford laced a run-scoring double down the left-field line to make it 8-2.

Sophomore left fielder Bella Dayton got to work manufacturing a two-out Longhorns run in the top of the fifth. The Wylie, Texas, product walked, stole second and soon raced around to score on an Iakopo RBI single to push the gap out to 9-2.

The Bears threatened again in the bottom of the fifth following back-to-back singles from right fielder Ana Watson and center fielder McKenzie Wilson. With two retired, Hott hit a run-scoring double to the wall in right as BU clawed closer at 9-3.

Texas got back to work in the sixth as a Washington walk and a Camille Corona bunt single put two on with no outs. Following a Gilbert sac bunt, Popelka bounced to second for a RBI as Texas' offense reached double figures on the scoreboard.

Baylor continued to fight in the bottom of the sixth as a Binford two-run HR and a Texas throwing error combined to plate three runs and make it 10-6.

Looking to finish off the win, Texas re-entered Dolcini in the circle beginning the bottom of the seventh. After a strikeout, Baylor got a bloop single to short from designated player Josie Bower and a Binford walk to put two aboard with still only one out. With two runners in scoring position following a bouncer back to the circle, Dolcini struck out pinch hitter Zadie LaValley to complete the Longhorns victory.