The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Houston
No. 2/1 Softball slams Houston, evens weekend series
03.09.2024 | Softball
Texas bounces back from Friday night’s result with convincing Saturday victory
AUSTIN, Texas – When a program faces the slightest bit of adversity, every head coach wants to see how his student-athletes will respond. Mike White didn't have to wait long on Saturday to find out how his Longhorn squad would respond after Friday night's defeat as Texas scored five in the first inning to beat Houston, 9-2, on Saturday afternoon.
After grounding out on a 1-2 pitch to begin Friday night's game, Kayden Henry brought the momentum into the Texas dugout just two pitches into Saturday's contest as the freshman outfielder was credited with a double to left field mere moments after the game began. Minutes later, the speedster successfully stole third base and then took home on a throwing error by the Cougar catcher.
Mia Scott became the next Longhorn baserunner as she drew a four-pitch walk that proceeded a Joley Mitchell single back up the middle during the next Texas at bat. A Reese Atwood flyout to the center field wall advanced both Scott and Mitchell a base, which allowed Scott to score from third on a Katie Cimusz single to centerfield following Atwood's plate appearance.
With Texas already leading Houston, 2-0, five batters into the game, the Longhorns extended their lead by three when Alyssa Washington sent a 1-0 pitch just inches below the Cougars' videoboard beyond the left field fence for a three-run home run.
Houston attempted to come from behind — for the second straight game against Texas — but despite scoring two runs in the bottom of the third, Kayden Henry answered back with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth to push the Longhorns' lead back to 7-2. Three innings later, Washington put the bow on the game's outcome with her second home run of the game as she sent the first pitch of her at bat over the center field fence for a two-run home run.
FROM HEAD COACH MIKE WHITE
"I feel a lot better than I did after yesterday. Obviously, the first inning was really big for us — to be able to jump out to a 5-0 lead was huge — and really set the momentum for the rest of the game. Teagan (Kavan) threw well. She got in trouble there in the third inning but was able to get out of it. And that's the name of the game right now: bend but not break. There were still a few defensive miscues we have to tighten up, but overall it was a pretty solid effort."
FROM FRESHMAN TEAGAN KAVAN
"Today was fun. I just knew we had to get out there — new day — and start fresh and put yesterday behind us and just do it for us. We just had to trust ourselves, because we know we are more than capable. I really thought the defense played incredible behind me today, so I was able to rely on them and that took the stress off my shoulders."
GAME NOTES
- Saturday's win for Texas over Houston marks the first time since the 2007 season that the Longhorns have won the next conference game after dropping its first conference game of a season.
- On March 24, 2007, Texas dropped a 7-0 contest to then-No. 3 Oklahoma, before winning the following day, March 25, 5-4 in 10 innings.
- For the second time in her career and this season, Alyssa Washington was credited with a multi-home run game.
- She also connected for two home runs against Tarleton State on March 1, 2024, when the two programs met at Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin.
- Courtesy of her two home runs on the afternoon, Alyssa Washington set a new season high with five runs batted in (RBI), surpassing her previous season high of four set against Tarleton State on March 1, 2024.
- Not only did Texas freshman right-handed pitcher Teagan Kavan remain perfect — record wise — in the pitching circle by moving to 9-0 on the season, the Iowa native also earned her first win against a conference opponent after limiting the Cougar offense to just four hits — all singles — throughout seven frames while striking out five of the 30 batters faced.
UP NEXT
- Texas (20-2, 1-1) will go for its first Big 12 Conference series win on the season when the Longhorns and Cougars (17-6, 1-1) conclude the weekend's three-game series at Cougar Softball Stadium on Sunday, March 10 at 12 p.m. on ESPN+.
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.
