No. 10/7 Softball falls in Big 12 Championship game

Saturday, May 13

Oklahoma City, Okla.

12 p.m. CT

University of Texas

42-13-1

Oklahoma

51-1

Texas

Oklahoma

Photo by: Texas Athletics

No. 10/7 Softball falls in Big 12 Championship game

05.13.2023 | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Texas responds early, but Oklahoma answers back late to take the Big 12 Conference Championship

By: Chris Allen Brown

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Appearing in the Big 12 Championship game for the first time since the 2005 season, the Texas Longhorns concluded its stay in the three-day tournament by falling to the Oklahoma Sooners, 6-1, on Saturday.

No. 1/1 Oklahoma (51-1) broke through in the run column first — for the first time in a game against the Longhorns this season — with a solo home run off the bat of Haley Lee to begin the bottom of the second. However, Texas' unanimous All-Big 12 Freshman selection Viviana Martinez tied the game with a one-out solo home run in the top of the fourth.

Martinez' home run marked the sixth long ball for the No. 10/7 Longhorns in three games in Oklahoma City over the last three days.

But Alyssa Brito broke the 1-1 tie in the bottom half of the frame with a one-out double to the right-centerfield gap to plate Lee from first. Moments later, Brito scored from third on a wild pitch before Jordy Bahl, who entered as a pinch run, capped the three-run Sooner frame by scoring from third on a ground out.

Two innings later, Oklahoma ballooned its lead with a two-run, two-hit bottom of the sixth inning that was magnified by a one-out throwing error by the Longhorns, their first defensive mishap in 17.1 innings played at Hall of Fame Stadium this week.

FROM HEAD COACH MIKE WHITE

"First off, congratulations to Oklahoma on the Big 12 championship. They, obviously, played well and did things they had to do. They're always tough, defensively, especially, which is often overlooked because of their offense. Their pitching didn't give up many runs this weekend, so they were pretty effective. I thought everyone on our team played really well and pretty gutsy. We limited the most powerful offense in the country for a few innings there. Overall, I'm very proud of the way everyone played not only today but the entire week, especially after the way we were struggling coming into the weekend."

FROM JUNIOR BELLA DAYTON

"The environment at this stadium — every time we are here — is just so amazing. I know a lot of people have their opinions and we enjoy listening to them, because we know where we stand as a family. I just enjoy the ride and enjoy being on that field every day, knowing that opportunities are going to come for me. I love playing for this group of girls and wearing this Texas across my chest."

GAME NOTES

With Viviana Martinez' fourth-inning home run, the Texas Longhorn offense has now hit at least one home run off Oklahoma pitching in all four matchups throughout the 2023 season.
- Of those home runs (4), three have come via a Longhorn freshman student-athlete: Leighann Goode (1) and Viviana Martinez (2).
The announced attendance for Saturday's championship game was 4,684 to bring the three-day attendance total of the 2023 Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championships to 11,367, the second highest in Big 12 Softball Championship history.
With her first-inning single, Mia Scott added to her team-leading hit total as the sophomore Longhorn will enter Texas' upcoming NCAA Regional with 71 hits throughout the 2023.
- Additionally, Scott tied Taylor Thom (2013) for 10th on the program's single-season hit list.
- Only Oklahoma State's Rachel Becker (74) has more hits than Scott.
With her two hits on the afternoon, All-Big 12 Freshman honoree Ashton Maloney extended her current hitting streak to eight consecutive games.
As a result of Martinez' fourth-inning home run, Texas extended its consecutive games played with at least one scored during the 2023 season to 56 in a row.
Saturday's matchup between Oklahoma and Texas marked the first time the two teams have met for a Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship since the 2003 season.
Bella Dayton was Texas' lone representative on the All-Big 12 Tournament Team.

UP NEXT

With the 2023 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship now in the rearview mirror, Texas (42-13-1) will turn its attention to the upcoming NCAA Division I Selection Show at 6 PM CT on Sunday, May 14 to find out its postseason fate.

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