The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
36-16-1, 11-6
Baylor
28-22, 6-11
No. 17/14 Softball drops “Senior Day” contest to Baylor
05.07.2022 | Softball
Senior second baseman Janae Jefferson broke the school’s career doubles record with her 49th two-bagger
AUSTIN, Texas – On a 95-degree Saturday afternoon in front of 1,505 fans at Red & Charline McCombs Field, No. 17/14 Texas softball (36-16-1, 11-6 Big 12 Conference) broke a pair of records as the squad secured the school's single-season doubles mark and senior second baseman Janae Jefferson broke the career doubles record all while suffering a tough, 17-3 loss to Baylor (28-22, 6-11 Big 12 Conference).
Notes
- Prior to Saturday's game, Texas honored its six seniors: Lauren Burke, Hailey Dolcini, Janae Jefferson, Mary Iakopo, Shea O'Leary and McKenzie Parker.
- With four doubles against Baylor, Texas now has 93 for the season, breaking the previous single-season record of 91 doubles held by the 2019 Longhorns.
- Senior second baseman Janae Jefferson managed her 48th & 49th doubles to break the Texas career doubles record formerly held by Jodi Reeves and Kaitlyn Washington.
- Jefferson went 2-for-4 to stretch her reached base streak to a career-high-tying 19 games. She previously registered a 19-game skein from April 11-May 12, 2018.
- Freshman third baseman Mia Scott set a new career-high with two doubles in the loss to Baylor.
Major Players
Senior second baseman Janae Jefferson (2-for-4, two runs, two doubles); freshman third baseman Mia Scott (2-for-3, run, two doubles, two RBIs); senior designated player Mary Iakopo (1-for-3, RBI); sophomore right fielder Bella Dayton (1-for-3, triple)
In the Circle
Senior Shea O'Leary (1-4) suffered the loss in relief after allowing one earned run on two hits over just one-third of an inning. Freshman Sophia Simpson started the contest and permitted six earned runs on four hits with seven walks and two strikeouts over 2.1 frames.
The Details
Baylor threatened to grab the lead in the top of the first. With center fielder McKenzie Wilson aboard on a leadoff double, first baseman Emily Hott ripped a single through the right side. UT's Dayton corralled the ball and fired a strike to the plate as freshman catcher Katie Cimusz applied the tag to keep the Bears off the board.
The top of the Longhorns order got right to work during UT's half of the first. Jefferson started off the initial at-bat by blasting a double to deep center. Scott stepped to the plate and followed by launching a RBI double to the wall in left center to make it 1-0. From there, a Scott stolen base and an Iakopo RBI groundout to third pushed Texas in front early, 2-0.
Three consecutive walks starting the top of the second quickly came back to hurt Texas. With the bags packed full of Bears, a RBI fielder's choice and consecutive RBI singles by left fielder Taylor Strain and Hott handed BU a 3-2 advantage.
Two Baylor singles, a key Texas throwing error and a wild pitch all combined to add two more runs to the Bears lead in the top of the third.
Baylor advantage expanded to 7-2 in the top of the fifth on second baseman Kaci West's two-RBI single.
With two down in the bottom of the fifth, Jefferson and Scott again went back-to-back on doubles as UT's three-time All-American raced around to cut UT's deficit to 7-3.
Following a relatively quiet sixth frame, Baylor exploded for 10 runs in the top of the seventh on a combination of five walks and eight hits as 15 Bears came to the plate.
Needing a huge rally to fight back in the contest, the Longhorns went down in order against BU starter Aliyah Binford in the bottom of the seventh as the Bears tied the Big 12 series at one game apiece.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Aliyah Binford (9-6)
L: O'Leary, Shea (1-4)
Batting:
2B: McKenzie Wilson 1 ; Kaci West 1 ; Josie Bower 1
RBI: McKenzie Wilson 1 ; Taylor Strain 2 ; Emily Hott 1 ; Kaci West 5 ; Josie Bower 4 ; Sydney Collazos 1 ; Ana Watson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McKenzie Wilson 4 ; Taylor Strain 3 ; Emily Hott 2 ; Kaci West 1 ; Josie Bower 1 ; Aliyah Binford 2 ; Sydney Collazos 2 ; Ashlyn Wachtendorf 1 ; Ana Watson 1
SB: McKenzie Wilson 1
CS: Grace Powell 1
HBP: McKenzie Wilson 1
Batting:
2B: Jefferson, Janae 2 ; Scott, Mia 2
3B: Dayton, Bella 1
RBI: Scott, Mia 2 ; Iakopo, Mary 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jefferson, Janae 2 ; Scott, Mia 1
SB: Scott, Mia 1
