Tag: Texas Softball

Texas Softball ranked No. 1 in nation, two players earn Big 12 honors

Texas softball is now the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, according to Softball America’s Top 25 Poll.

Texas softball continues to dominate.

Within a span of 72 hours last week, the Longhorns took down No. 10 Louisiana-Lafayette, No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Washington. Defeating the top two teams in the country in consecutive games is the first in program history.

After suffering a loss to unranked Fresno State shortly after, Texas bounced back to defeat the No. 13 team in the country. Junior first baseman and outfielder Lauren Burke played a critical role in each of Texas’ key wins.

She was clutch at the plate, demolishing two home runs in crucial moments to propel Texas over UCLA and Washington. Burke hit .458 (11-for-24) with five doubles, six RBIs and a 1.375 OPS. Her consistent performances earned Big 12 Player of the Week honors.

She wasn’t the only Longhorn recognized, as sophomore pitcher Shea O’Leary was named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 with 11 strikeouts over 15 innings. O’Leary also tossed a complete-game shutout to defeat No. 13 Michigan.

Texas’ impressive week on the west coast was enough to earn the No. 1 spot in Softball America’s Top 25 Poll.

Texas is back at home this weekend to host New Mexico, Texas Southern and Liberty in the Longhorn Invitational.

Debut Episode of the Locked On Longhorns Podcast

Host Patrick Conn and Co-Host Cami Griffin take you through Texas’ impressive week in the first episode of Locked on Longhorns.

The first episode of Locked On Longhorns is now available.

The new daily show is hosted by Patrick Conn and Co-Host Cami Griffin and will take you through all of the latest news and happenings surrounding Longhorns athletics.

The primary topic of conversation was the impressive past week for Texas with nearly every program. Softball defeated the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 13 ranked teams in the nation on the road. Baseball lost their first two games of the season this past weekend, but upset No. 6 ranked Arkansas in the process. Men’s and women’s swimming and diving both took home the Big 12 Championship.

Texas men’s basketball continued their hot streak by defeating No. 22 Texas Tech on Saturday. Women’s basketball joined the party by defeating Oklahoma, while Texas track and field won the Big 12.

An update on the four former Texas football players performances at the NFL Combine is also discussed.

Take a listen below.

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Texas Softball secures another crucial win, defeats No. 2 Washington

Texas softball remains on an impressive hot streak, defeating three of the top 10 teams in the nation within a span of 72 hours.

Texas softball is on an incredible hot streak.

Within a span of 72 hours, the Longhorns defeated three top 10 teams in the nation. After defeating No. 10 ranked Louisiana-Lafayette at home last Tuesday, Texas went on the road to upset the highest-ranked team in the nation by defeating UCLA 6-4 in eight innings on Thursday.

How would they respond to such a crucial win? Oftentimes after an exciting thriller like this, teams may get off to a slow start as celebration lingers.

Not the Longhorns.

They responded by beating the No. 2 team in the nation less than 24 hours later. Texas took on No. 2 Washington in Fullerton on Friday night, securing an impressive 8-6 win.

Defeating the top two teams in the country in consecutive games is the first in program history. The Longhorns continue their streak of out-hitting all 20 opponents that they have faced this season.

Texas jumped up early on Washington, scoring five runs in the first inning. Junior right fielder Lauren Burke came up clutch at the plate yet again, going 3-for-4 with two runs, a double, one home run, and three RBIs.

The Longhorns started sophomore pitcher Shea O’Leary, but she quickly allowed four earned runs on three hits. Freshman pitcher Courtney Day improved to 4-0 overall by allowing only one earned run on three hits with no walks in 3.2 innings of relief. Senior Miranda Elish closed out the game.

Texas’ two losses this season came by a combined two runs.

Don’t Mess With Texas: Longhorns take down No. 1 UCLA

No. 3 Texas softball defeated No. 1 UCLA in extra innings last night.

Don’t mess with Texas.

In a crucial top-five showdown last night, the No. 3 ranked Longhorns defeated the highest-ranked team in the nation. Texas traveled to California to face the UCLA Bruins in Los Angeles.

There was no shortage of excitement thanks to three key home runs from catcher Taylor Ellsworth, third baseman Mary Iakopo and right fielder Lauren Burke. Texas defeated the Bruins by a score of 6-4 after 8 innings of play.

Senior Miranda Elish pitched a complete game, allowed three earned runs on four hits with six walks and seven strikeouts. Iakopo went 2-for-4 at the plate with a home run and an RBI.

Not only did the Longhorns give the Bruins their first loss of the season, they ended their impressive 23-game win streak. Texas has now out-hit all 19 opponents they have faced this season.

The Longhorns are back on the road to take on No. 2 ranked Washington tonight in Fullerton. If they can manage to pull out a win, that would mark the third top 10 win for Texas in the last four days.

Texas Softball: Recap, highlights from Top Ten showdown with Louisiana

Texas softball suffered their second loss of the season to No. 10 ranked Louisiana-Lafayette.

Texas softball suffered their second loss of the season.

The Longhorns dropped the first meeting of the top ten showdown with No. 10 ranked Louisiana-Lafayette. After losing 3-2, Texas rebounded to split the home double-header by defeating the Rajin’ Cajuns 2-1.

Although Texas would have preferred to take both games, there were still many positives to take from the split. They handed Louisiana starting pitcher Summer Ellyson her first loss of the season and have out-hit all 18 of their opponents thus far.

Senior pitcher Miranda Elish and junior second baseman Janae Jefferson both went 2-for-3 at the plate in game one. Sophomore catcher Colleen Sullivan and and junior first baseman Lauren Burke each went 2-for-3 in the second meeting.

Texas is now 2-1 against ranked opponents this season.

Texas Softball: True test vs. No. 10 Louisiana, how to watch

Texas softball hosts the No. 10 team in the nation for a double-header tonight.

There’s an exciting night of softball ahead for the Longhorns.

Texas has looked absolutely dominant this season, oftentimes run-ruling their opponents. They have a 15-1 overall record, the lone loss coming from Duke by just one run.

At this point, you can make the argument that they haven’t necessarily played enough tough competition outside of that. Their blowout against then-ranked Tennessee was likely their most prominent win this season. However, Tennessee is now sitting in the No. 20 spot according to USA Today.

The Longhorns host a double-header tonight against Louisiana, the No. 10 team in the nation currently. The Rajin Cajuns have only lost three games this season by a combined total of three runs, two of those losses coming from then-ranked No. 7 LSU and No. 8 Oklahoma State.

This is an excellent opportunity for Texas to make a statement.

Here is how you watch, listen, and stream Texas Softball vs. Louisiana:

Date: 2/25/2020

Time: 4:30 p.m. CST & 7:00 p.m. CST

Location: McCombs Field in Austin, Texas

Watch: Longhorn Network

Listen: 105.3 FM & TexasSports.com/audio

Stream: Watch ESPN App

Texas Softball: Split double header, drop first game of the year

The Texas Longhorns softball team split a double header and wasted a pitching gem by senior Miranda Elish, who was the hero of game one.

The Texas Longhorns were back for two more games in the Texas Invitational with another matchup with Lipscomb and the Duke Blue Devils. The Longhorns struggled right out of the gate as Shealyn O’Leary was in the circle and had trouble with command of her pitches. Lipscomb, who was run-ruled on Friday by Texas, jumped all over them early 3-0.

Texas would respond and rattle off eight runs in a row over the next several innings while O’Leary kept them at bay. Kaitlyn Slack got the Longhorns started when she hit a RBI fielder’s choice that drove home Lauren Burke for the first run of the game. Mary Iakopo brought in the tying run with a RBI single that brought Shannon Rhodes around to score.

With Texas up 5-3 in the fourth inning, the extra base hit parade got started. Iakopo RBI triple brought it to 6-3 and Reagan Hathaway’s double off the wall brought in another run. Texas led 8-3 after four innings. There would be more trouble on the way for the Longhorns pitching.

Over the next 1.1 innings freshman standout Courtney Day really struggled win the circle. She gave up her first run of the year, then a couple more over one inning plus. Ariana Davis replaced her without much success. They gave six earned runs and found themselves tied. O’Leary would come back into the game but wouldn’t record an out.

All-American senior pitcher Miranda Elish would come into the game with the bases loaded and one out. She would proceed to strike out both batters to end a six-run inning for Lipscomb. Elish returned for the seventh and after loaded the bases back up, struck out the next two to shut down any attempt to take the lead.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Iakopo was on third base and they refused to pitch to Elish. Walking her on four pitches brought a red hot Lauren Burke to the plate who hit into a RBI fielder’s choice that gave Texas the walk off. Elish picked up her seventh win on the year. Texas would then face a red hot Duke team in the night cap.

After pitching the final 1.2 innings of the first game, Miranda Elish took the ball in the second game. After a 12-11 scoring fest in the first game the Longhorns and Duke broke out into a pitchers duel. Elish went the distance with five strikeouts and giving up just one run. The first earned run allowed by Elish in 35 innings.

On the other side of the circle, it was Duke’s Peyton St. George who stole the show. The junior pitcher also went the distance, getting the best of her matchup with Elish. The Longhorns would leave nine on base throughout the game and just couldn’t get a timely hit off of St. George. For the first time this season Texas failed to score a run resulting in a 1-0 shutout. Elish took her first loss on the year (7-1) and St. George improved to 4-1.

The Longhorns wrap up the tournament with a matchup against Weber State on Sunday.

Lucky 13: Texas Softball run-rules their way to another win

The Texas Longhorns struggled early with scoring but broke through in the fourth inning and Miranda Elish pitched a shutout.

The Texas Longhorns softball team were at it again with the second game of their doubleheader in the opening day of the Texas Invitational. After the Longhorns took the first game against Lipscomb, Miranda Elish looked to match her teammate Courtney Day who picked up her third win on the season.

The offense got off to a bit of slower start int this game with not being able to get a run in the first inning but in the bottom of the second Kaitlyn Washington comes through for Texas. With two on,  Washington smashes a two-run triple to get the Longhorns an early 2-0 lead for Elish.

North Dakota State had opportunities against Elish but even with runners on in the second and third innings, they couldn’t get the timely hit to bring anyone around to score. In the fourth, Elish sent them down in order. Day comes through in the fourth to get the scoring started with an groundball to third.

The Longhorns blew the game wide open in the fourth inning setting up their ninth run-rule game in 13 opportunities. MK Tedder added two more runs on single. A hit by pitch drives in a another run. Texas ended the inning the way it started with another RBI single by Day. Longhorns led 10-0 after four innings.

Elish finished off the Bisons in the fifth inning to secure her sixth win of the season with a two-hit shutout. She also struck out eight as Miranda went the distance. The Longhorns will play two on Saturday with another matchup with Lipscomb and Duke.

Texas Softball: Longhorns defeat Lipscomb, remain undefeated

Texas softball defeated Lipscomb on Friday morning, improved to an impressive 12-0 record.

This team is special.

After defeating Lipscomb on Friday morning in the tournament opener, Texas softball has now improved to an impressive 12-0 record. The Longhorns put up 12 runs in just five innings, surrendering 0 runs in return. That now marks eight games this regular season that Texas has run-ruled their opponent.

This is the third-best start to a season in program history. Along with their bats, their pitching staff has been tremendous. Texas’ pitchers have not allowed a home run to an opposing batter this season.

Freshman pitcher Courtney Day earned the win and improved to 3-0 in the circle. Day pitched for three innings and allowed only one hit. Her collegiate career ERA is still 0.00 through 17 innings.

It didn’t take long for Texas’ offense to explode, scoring five runs on four hits in the bottom of the first inning. Junior right fielder Lauren Burke was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and nearly completed the cycle – finishing just a home run short.

Although it’s still early on in the season, Texas looks unstoppable. Softball America currently ranks the Longhorns as the No. 2 team in the country.

Texas Softball: Longhorns walk it off in the 9th inning

The Texas Longhorns needed some late innings heroics and a couple errors to stay unbeaten on the season.

The Texas Longhorns softball team was facing adversity for a change in their latest matchup with the North Texas Mean Green. The Longhorns fell down 2-0 very early, in fact the Mean Green scored both runs with one out. Shealyn O’Leary pitched three innings and gave up just the two runs. The offense struggled to pick up the slack for Texas.

Courtney Day came on in relief to throw two scoreless innings. Day surrounded just one hit and striking out one. She gave way for the Big 12 pitcher of the week Miranda Elish to pitch the rest of the way. Elish went four innings of shutout softball, striking out five and walking one.

On offense, the Longhorns struggled and had to scratch and claw their way back into the game. In the first Kaitlyn Washington hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring Shannon Rhodes across the plate. North Texas pitcher Hope Trautwein pitched eight innings and gave up two runs, she got the no decision in this one.

Texas would tie the game up in the 7th inning when Camille Corona scored on a wild pitch from Trautwein. It would come down to the Longhorns in the 9th inning to remain perfect. Rhodes singled but a throwing error by North Texas allowed pinch runner Tuesday DerMargosian to come around to score to walk off in the ninth inning.

Elish improved to 5-0 on the season and Texas is now 11-0 early on in the season.