No. 8/8 Softball sees season end in NCAA Super Regional

Saturday, May 27

Knoxville, TN

2 PM

University of Texas

45-15-1

Tennessee

49-8

Tennessee

Texas

Photo by: Texas Athletics

No. 8/8 Softball sees season end in NCAA Super Regional

05.27.2023 | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

The Longhorns conclude the 2023 season one step shy of the Women’s College World Series.

By: Chris Allen Brown

KNOXVILLE, TN – Looking for a similar spark that ignited last season postseason run, The University of Texas softball program were unable to find it on Saturday afternoon as the Longhorns fell to the Volunteers, 9-0, to conclude the NCAA Knoxville Super Regional.

In her first second career NCAA postseason start, Citlaly Gutierrez (13-6) showed the poise of a non-freshman softball student-athlete as she limited the nation's number two scoring offense — 7.07 runs per game — to just one run through the game's first five innings. Gutierrez recorded the first two outs in the top of the sixth inning before a single and throwing error after Sophia Simpson entered the pitching circle allowed to two more runs to be charged to Gutierrez.

On the afternoon, Gutierrez tossed 5.2 innings — the most since throwing six frames against then-No. 3 Oklahoma State on April 22, 2023 — scattered four hits, allowed three runs (two unearned) and struck out four of the 25 batters she faced.

An inning after Courtney Day became Texas' first baserunner of the game by drawing a full-count walk to begin the bottom of the fifth, Vanessa Quiroga was credited with a single after hitting a 3-1 pitch to left field.

The Longhorns' second hit of the third game — and third baserunner — came an inning later when Camille Corona sent the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh into the left-centerfield gap for a single. Baylea Brandon followed by drawing Texas' second walk of the game, but both were stranded on base to end the game.

FROM HEAD COACH MIKE WHITE

"First off, congratulations to the University of Tennessee for making it to the Women's College World Series for the first time in a little bit. It was a classy act out here all weekend. The fans were really good and conducted themselves in a good manner, which is something I believe needs to happen more around our sport because some places are getting a little rough to play especially for the student-athletes. The field was good; the umpires did a good job; everyone who helped run this weekend's action, it was very well ran.

To my team, it's always tough to finish the year out, especially when we let ourselves down a little bit there with five errors and nine runs allowed. That's just a tough way to finish it, especially after how well Citlaly (Gutierrez) threw for us. You just aren't going to win too many games with only two hits. We have a lot of work to do, but I feel confident and proud of our team. We have a really good group of young women and we have a lot to build on and this season was just a start for us."

FROM FRESHMAN CITLALY GUTIERREZ

"We have to use this weekend as motivation for next season and just keep on building on what we have. We have a lot of young talent, so I think over the coming years, we are going to have something special."

FOLLOW US

For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasSoftball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @TexasLonghorns on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.