ICYMI: Softball falls 8-2 in Wednesday night showdown with Texas
A five-run second inning propelled the University of Texas-Austin to an 8-2 victory over the softball team Wednesday night.
Junior left-handed pitcher Ashley Peters picked up her second loss on the season for North Texas (11-4), going 1.2 innings, striking out one batter and surrendering six earned runs. Sophomore southpaw Estelle Czech pitched a complete game for the Longhorns (13-9), striking out six with one earned run.
“It was good to play [Texas], it’s good to play good teams,” head coach Rodney DeLong said. “Disappointed, [because of] how we drew early in the game, but it is what it is, we’ll get better because of it.”
Texas jumped out to an early lead, picking up a run on a two-out single by senior infielder Mary Iakopo in the top of the first. Sophomore outfielder Kalei Christensen tied the game in the bottom of the first with a home run.
Christensen’s home run was her sixth of the season, putting her one ahead of sophomore first baseman Kailey Gamble for the team lead. With two career home runs heading into 2022, Christensen said her recent power surge has been a result of the team’s practices.
“We’re doing well, we’re preparing in practice,” Christensen said. “[Increased power] is being brought into the [team’s] game and I couldn’t be more grateful for my coaches.”
Peters’ day ended with two outs in the second inning after the lefty gave up a double to junior infielder McKenzie Parker to extend the Longhorn lead to 5-1. Freshman right-hander Skylar Savage entered the game and allowed an RBI double with the run charged to Peters.
From there, Czech and Savage kept both teams off the board until the seventh inning, when a run came across on a ground ball hit to Gamble. After looking to make a throw to third, Gamble held the ball as junior outfielder Lou Gilbert reached first and sophomore utility-player Camille Corona advanced to third before scoring. A groundout by sophomore infielder Alyssa Washington later scored Gilbert to extend the Texas lead to 8-1.
North Texas tacked on the game’s final run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by sophomore outfielder Lexi Cobb. The game ended on a single by Christensen on which freshman shortstop Cierra Simon was tagged out at the plate. Simon hurt her leg on the play but walked off the field on her own power.
Savage ended the night with 5.1 innings pitched, eight hits, two earned runs and four strikeouts. The freshman pitched four shutout innings before the seventh. She has made four appearances versus Power Five competition in her first collegiate season and has yet to surrender more than three runs.
“I stay calm and I know I can trust my team behind me,” Savage said. “I know my teammates are going to have my back throughout any game.”
The Mean Green start Conference USA play on Friday, traveling to Hattiesburg, Miss., to face the University of Southern Mississippi before returning home next Tuesday to face No. 11 Oklahoma State University.
“There was fight in the team,” DeLong said. “We didn’t lay down, we didn’t give up and that’s the moxie that this team has […] this group is not going to give up.”
Featured Image: No. 24 freshman right-handed pitcher Karsyn Iltis pitches the ball during practice on March 8, 2022. Photo by Maria Crane
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