No. 9/13 Softball adds to win column as Martinez has a career afternoon

Saturday, February 25

Austin, Texas

4 p.m.

University of Texas

9-2-1

Virginia Tech

10-4

Virginia Tech

Texas

Photo by: Texas Athletics

No. 9/13 Softball adds to win column as Martinez has a career afternoon

02.25.2023 | Softball

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Freshman Viviana Martinez did not record an out in five official plate appearances in Texas’ two wins

By: Chris Allen Brown

AUSTIN, TX – Less than 24 hours after a heartbreaking loss to No. 10/12 Virginia Friday night, No. 9/13 Texas bounced back with a pair of wins Saturday when the Longhorns knocked off the Hokies, 8-2, before beating Abilene Christian, 8-0, in five innings.

Texas opened the day by reading the early chapters of the same script as Friday night's game against Virginia Tech as the Longhorns went up 4-0 on the Hokies after three full innings courtesy of two two-out, run-scoring hits by true freshman Viviana Martinez.

After Virginia Tech plated a single run in the top of the fourth, Martinez, again, led an offensive charge for Texas when she connected on an 0-1 pitch for a solo home run, her first career collegiate home run. This sparked the Longhorn offense to score three more times and was on the verge of run-ruling the Hokies as the game-ending run was at third when the bottom of the sixth concluded.

Martinez carried over her offensive outburst in Texas' second game when she singled through the right side of the diamond to drive in two runs as part of an eight-run bottom of the first inning that saw fellow true freshman Leighann Goode cap the scoring with a three-run home run, her first career collegiate home run.

FROM HEAD COACH MIKE WHITE

"I thought we were really focused today. Yesterday, it was a close game (against Virginia Tech) and could've gone either way, but unfortunately, we came out on the wrong end of it. But, I thought we wanted to make amends for that today. We scored early and kept scoring, which is great. And, of course, Mac Morgan did a great job of closing (Virginia Tech) out. In the second game today, Sophia Simpson came out and had a lot of strikeouts in a row and really had her change-up working, which was great to see, and then Citlaly (Guiterriez) came in to get the last two outs, which was really good."

FROM FRESHMAN INFIELDER VIVIANA MARTINEZ

"Honestly, I was just trying to wait and get my pitch and not get too deep in the count, because they were all good pitchers (today) so I knew I had to wait and be patent at the plate."

GAME NOTES

Texas' eight runs during the bottom of the first inning against Abliene Christian were the most runs scored in a single inning by the Longhorns so far this season.
- The previous high was a seven-run bottom of the second against Loyola on Friday, Feb. 17.
Viviana Martinez' five RBI in the Longhorns' win over the Hokies were a career high for the Arizona native.
- Her previous high was two, which she had accomplished three times prior to Saturday with the latest coming against UIW on Sunday, Feb. 19.
- Martinez' five RBI also tied her with fellow freshman Reese Atwood for the most by a Longhorn softball student-athlete in a single game this season.
  - Atwood drove in a career-high five runs in Texas' win over Illinois on Feb. 12, 2023.
Leighann Goode also set a career high for single-game RBI when the freshman drove in three with her two-out home run during the bottom of the first inning against the Wildcats.
- Her previous high was two, which she did in her collegiate debut against Missouri on Feb. 10, 2023.
Against Abilene Christian, sophomore right-handed pitcher Sophia Simpson began the game by striking out the first six consecutive Wildcat batters.
- Of the first nine Abilene Christian outs recorded, Simpson did so via strikeout eight times.
  - The Wildcats' only other out during the game's first three innings came via a fielder's choice as right fielder Ashton Malony threw to Viviana Martinez at shortstop to lead a runner after a ball was hit to the outfield.

UP NEXT

Texas (10-2-1) will wrap up the Austin portion of the Lone Star State Invitational when it squares off against Texas Southern (1-8) at 3 PM CT at Red & Charline McCombs Field.
- No 10/12 Virginia Tech (10-4) versus Abilene Christian (4-10) will begin Sunday's three-game slate when the two programs begin play at 9:30 AM. Kansas (6-4) and Texas Southern will follow at 12 PM, before the Tigers square off against the Longhorns later in the afternoon.
- Texas will then continue its current homestand when it hosts North Texas, which is receiving votes in the latest NFCA Coaches Poll, at 6 PM on Wednesday, March 1.

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