Sooners strike early and often, No. 2/3 Softball unable to rally in seventh

Saturday, April 26

Norman, OK

6:30 PM CT

University of Texas

42-8, 13-7

Oklahoma

41-5, 15-5

Texas

Oklahoma Sooners

Sooners strike early and often, No. 2/3 Softball unable to rally in seventh

04.26.2025 | Softball

Box Score

Texas avoids first shutout of season with two-run homer in the seventh

By: Chris Allen Brown

NORMAN, Okla. – Through the first two innings of Texas' 7-2 loss at Oklahoma on Saturday night, it looked like either team had an opportunity to earn the victory.

And then Ella Parker hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third. Abigale Dayton and Kasidi Pickering added run-scoring plate appearances in the fourth. Dayton, again, added two more runs on the scoreboard for the Sooners in the fifth.

Before the Longhorns knew it, they were facing their first run-rule defeat since May 2023 following a sixth-inning two-out, two-run home run off the bat of Nelly McEnroe-Marinas. The game-ending run was standing at first base with two away in the bottom of the sixth with Ailana Agbayani, who drove in five runs during Friday's contest, standing at the plate.

But Mac Morgan was able to strikeout Agbayani looking on the eighth pitch of the at bat.

As Texas entered the top of the seventh, the Longhorns had recorded just one hit during the game: a one-out bloop single to shallow right field off the bat of Katie Stewart in the top of the second. Over the next four innings, walks to Victoria Hunter and Leighann Goode were the only base runners for the visitors.

With two away in the final frame, Stewart collected her second hit of the game when she sent an 0-1 pitch 85 miles per hour off the bat for a 225-foot single off the middle of the left field wall. Four pitches later, Hunter push the Longhorns into the run column with a two-run home run, her first long ball since Feb. 9, 2025 at Sam Houston.

Vanessa Quiroga continued the seventh-inning rally attempt by sending the first pitch of her at bat over the left fielder's head for a two-out double. But a flyout to right field by Leighann Goode brought the game to an end.

FROM HEAD COACH MIKE WHITE

"Obviously, we were beaten pretty soundly tonight by a good team that fed on themselves and did a good job. They had good pitching, good defense and, overall, outhit us throughout the game. We left things a little too late, before we started to hit the ball but that's something we can carry over. I'm just disappointed we weren't able to carry over from last night into this game, but also of that had to do with (Oklahoma's starting pitcher Kierston) Deal and the way she was able to mix her pitches around with different locations and did a good job with her off speed as well."

GAME NOTES

As a result of Victoria Hunter's two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning on Saturday, the Texas offense has now hit at least one home run in the last five consecutive games against Oklahoma in Norman.
- Dating back to the 2021 season, the Longhorns have hit at least one home run in seven of their last eight games against Sooner pitching in Norman.
- 2008 was the last time Texas has not hit at least one home run in multiple games against Oklahoma in Norman.
With her two-run home run during Saturday's contest, Texas sophomore Victoria Hunter now has 25 career RBI.
- Hunter will enter her next game played averaging 0.33 RBI per plate appearance.
As a result of her 225-foot single in the top of the seventh inning, Katie Stewart now has a multi-hit game against five different SEC opponents this season.

UP NEXT

Texas (42-8, 13-7) will close out its four-game-in-five-day slate throughout the state of Oklahoma on Sunday, April 27, when the Longhorns conclude their three-game conference series against the Oklahoma Sooners (41-5, 15-5) at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

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.