The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
44-6, 0
Texas Tech
28-19, 0
No. 1/1 Softball turns in record-breaking performances on Saturday
05.04.2024 | Softball
The Longhorns are on the brink of their first outright Big 12 Conference title since 2010.
LUBBOCK, Texas – Saturday's 23-0 win over Texas Tech for Texas began with a first-inning, three-run home run off the bat of Reese Atwood that tied the program's single-season home run record. And it concluded with a two-out, two-run home run by Katie Stewart to cap one of the largest offensive outbursts in a single game in program history.
In between two of Texas' six home runs on the afternoon were 18 additional hits with each of the game's five innings containing at least three. After Atwood's first-inning home run pushed Texas ahead by three, the Longhorns kept the Red Raiders out of the run column in the first and went back to work in the second.
By the fifth batter — Atwood — of the inning, Texas had already added two more runs courtesy of the first of two run-scoring doubles by Viviana Martinez. Atwood followed with a sacrifice fly to push her RBI total to four through two innings. Stewart followed by sending the second pitch of her at bat over the right field fence for the first of her two home runs on the afternoon.
The third was a mixture of content from the first and second innings as Martinez doubled home a run in the frame before Atwood blasted her second three-run home run of the contest to give Texas a 12-0 lead.
The fourth and fifth innings saw the Longhorns score a combined 11 runs on 10 hits, including three more home runs by Kayden Henry, Leighann Goode and Stewart. The fifth inning also saw Atwood single a 2-0 pitch back up the middle for a two-out, run-scoring base knock that pushed her RBI total to nine, setting a new single-game program record.
FROM HEAD COACH MIKE WHITE
"That was an impressive performance today. Not only scoring every single inning and putting up crooked numbers, but there were some really good at bats and taking advantage of the wind today. There was good baserunning, too. Then, of course, there's Citlaly (Gutierrez), too, who threw a shutout on a day when the ball was flying. There was good defensive display as well. I'm just real proud of the ladies for staying focused and picking everyone up. Everyone came out and really did their job well today."
FROM SOPHOMORE CATCHER REESE ATWOOD
"This weekend, I've really just wanted to be relaxed at the plate. I have a great group of teammates around me, so all their support in cheering not only me but the whole team on makes the field such a great environment to allow anyone to succeed."
GAME NOTES
- With Saturday's five-inning victory, Texas has now won its last four straight games via mercy rule, which is the longest streak of consecutive run-rule wins for the Longhorns since earning six straight such wins in the first six games of the 2020 season.
- The Texas offense connected for six home runs against Texas Tech pitching on the afternoon, marking the second most home runs in a single game for the Longhorns in program history.
- On April 22, 2011, Texas connected for seven home runs in a game against the Red Raiders in Lubbock.
- The 23 runs scored by the Texas Longhorns on the day not only represents the most runs scored against a Big 12 opponent in program history but is also tied for the most runs scored in a single game regardless of opponent throughout the program's history.
- Texas beat Cal State Fullerton, 23-0, on Feb. 9, 2012.
- Saturday's game against the Red Raiders tied the previously mentioned game for the largest margin of victory in program history.
- Texas beat Cal State Fullerton, 23-0, on Feb. 9, 2012.
- With her 9-RBI performance on Saturday, Texas sophomore Reese Atwood now has 80 runs batted in (RBI) on the season, which places her seventh on the Big 12 Conference's single-season RBI list and just 12 back of Tiare Jennings' record of 92 set throughout the 2021 campaign.
- Atwood is the not only the only Texas softball student-athlete on the list, but she's also the only non-Oklahoma softball student-athlete to currently have her name on the list.
- The 23 runs scored by Texas on the day marked the most runs scored by a Big 12 team in a single game this season.
- Houston held the previously mark with 22 against Texas A&M-Commerce on March 2, 2024.
- Additionally, Reese Atwood's nine RBI throughout the game marked the most by a single Big 12 softball student-athlete this season.
- Oklahoma State's Caroline Wang held the previous mark with seven against Houston on April 7, 2024.
UP NEXT
- Having extended its winning streak to 15 consecutive games with Saturday's outcome, Texas (44-6, 22-4) will now look to close out the 2024 regular season with its fourth straight Big 12 Conference series sweep when the Longhorns return to Rocky Johnson Field for a 12 p.m. CT first pitch to the finale of the weekend's three-game series against Texas Tech (28-19, 8-15).
- With a win over the Red Raiders on Sunday, Texas would claim its first outright Big 12 Conference championship since the 2010 season.
- If the Longhorns lose on Sunday, a win by Oklahoma over Oklahoma State would also result in an outright conference championship for UT.
- With a win over the Red Raiders on Sunday, Texas would claim its first outright Big 12 Conference championship since the 2010 season.
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.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gutierrez, Citlaly (10-0)
L: M Blackledge (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Martinez, Viviana 2 ; Stewart, Katie 2
HR: Atwood, Reese 2 ; Stewart, Katie 2 ; Henry, Kayden 1 ; Goode, Leighann 1
RBI: Wallace, Adayah 1 ; Hunter, Victoria 1 ; Martinez, Viviana 3 ; Atwood, Reese 9 ; Stewart, Katie 6 ; Henry, Kayden 2 ; Goode, Leighann 1
SF: Atwood, Reese 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Maloney, Ashton 3 ; Wallace, Adayah 1 ; Scott, Mia 3 ; Hunter, Victoria 2 ; Martinez, Viviana 3 ; Atwood, Reese 3 ; Stewart, Katie 2 ; Mitchell, Joley 1 ; Henry, Kayden 1 ; Goode, Leighann 2 ; Dayton, Bella 1 ; Cimusz, Katie 1
Batting:
2B: K Wyckoff 1 ; A Orrick 1
