No. 1/1 Softball sets program’s WCWS run record in 10-0 victory over Florida

Saturday, June 1

Oklahoma City, OK

6 PM

University of Texas

54-8

Florida

52-14

Florida

Texas

No. 1/1 Softball sets program’s WCWS run record in 10-0 victory over Florida

06.01.2024 | Softball

Box Score

Two five-run innings help Texas to defeat Gators in five innings.

By: Chris Allen Brown

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – On Bella Dayton's birthday, The University of Texas' softball program was looking for a reason to make it memorable. It took less than 15 minutes of the 1-hour, 40-minute contest to not only accomplish that but also earn its second win at the 2024 Women's College World Series as a result of a 10-0 victory over the fourth-seeded Florida Gators.

Fueled by two swinging strikeouts as part of a 1-2-3 top of the first by right-handed pitcher Mac Morgan (16-1), the Texas offense immediately backed its second-year pitcher courtesy of a five-run, four-hit bottom of the first inning that was highlighted by a one-out, three-run home run off the bat of senior Alyssa Washington. It marked the 31 time this season the Longhorns have scored in the first inning and UT will take a 30-1 record when scoring in a game's first inning into its next game on Monday.

With more than enough run support, Morgan returned to the circle and allowed just three baserunners over the course of the game's remaining four innings: a one-out fielding error in the second, a two-out walk in the fourth and a leadoff single in the fifth. The single to open the top of the fifth marked the first — and only — hit of the game for Florida.

Despite having a commanding 5-0 lead, the Texas offense wasn't finished on the night as Mia Scott and Katie Stewart drove in four of the five runs during the bottom of the sixth that saw the Longhorns be credited with six hits, including a single off the bat of Reese Atwood for her 78th hit on the season, moving her into sole possession of fourth on the program's single-season hit list.

FROM HEAD COACH MIKE WHITE

"Obviously, it was a good game for us. Florida is a very tough team, and we knew they were going to be a tough opponent bases on how they were hitting the ball the last several weeks has been impressive. I thought Mac Morgan did a great job going out there in the first inning and really setting the tone for the game. And to be able to score straight away is something we haven't really be able to do lately. It feels like we've always been coming from behind. As I told the young ladies, this is my first time in seven trips being able to win that second game and it feels a lot better to be in this position than the other. But there's still a lot of work ahead of us, so we can't get too far ahead of ourselves and continue to be ready to play."

FROM SENIOR INFIELDER ALYSSA WASHINGTON

"It means everything to have my mom here. That (home run) meant more than just (what was happening in) the game. It was something I've always wanted to do since my first time coming here (to OKC) and to just do it for my dad. Making that hit, it was all in honor of him and then that ball being given to my mom, it just made my life, made my whole career. It was a great moment. For my mom to be here and I know my dad was watching, but for my mom to get that ball, it meant everything to me."

GAME NOTES

The five-run bottom of the first for Texas marked the most runs (5) by the Longhorns in a single inning in a WCWS game in nine WCWS games under sixth-year head coach Mike White.
Saturday night's bottom of the first inning marked the 29th time this season that the Texas offense has scored 5-or-more runs in a single inning this season.
- The Longhorns later scored five runs in the bottom of fourth, marking the 30th time.
Texas is now 11-0 when Mia Scott hits a home run in a game this season.
Additionally, Texas moves to 42-0 this season when the Longhorn offense scores first in a game.
Saturday's result marked the first run-rule victory in Texas' Women's College World Series history.
- Additionally, the 10-run margin of victory is the largest for the Longhorns at the WCWS, surpassing the previous mark of five that happened on two occasions throughout the program's 2022 WCWS run.
As a result of Mac Morgan's five-inning, complete game shutout, Texas has tossed back-to-back shutouts at the WCWS for the first time in program history.
Mac Morgan's one-hit complete game not only marks the second in as many WCWS games for Texas, but it's also just the sixth one-hit complete game in the program's WCWS history and the first time the feat has been accomplished in consecutive games played.
The 10 runs scored on the night by the Texas offense marked the most runs scored in a single WCWS game in program history.

UP NEXT

Texas (54-8) moves to Monday's winner's slate of games and will play the winner of eighth-seeded Stanford and sixth-seeded UCLA on Monday, June 3 at 7 p.m. CT.
- Either the Cardinal or Bruins will have to beat the Longhorns twice on Monday to prevent UT from advancing to the Women's College World Series Championship Finals.
  - If Stanford or UCLA wins the 7 p.m. contest, the two teams will turn around to play a winner-take-all game 30 minutes after the conclusion of the 7 p.m. game.
- Texas only needs to beat either Stanford or UCLA once on Monday to advance to the WCWS Championship Finals.

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