Softball surges into historic territory with win
AUSTIN, Texas – This year’s Texas softball team is now tied to some of the greatest Longhorn squads to play on the Forty Acres.
No. 9 Texas moved to 13-1 on the season with an 8-0 romping of Houston Baptist in five innings at Red & Charline McCombs Field Wednesday, and becomes the fourth UT team to start 13-1 in school history along with the squads from 2006, 2012 and 2013.
Center fielder Reagan Hathaway and catcher Mary Iakopo both hammered homers in the victory.
TOUCH 'EM ALL @_reago! pic.twitter.com/4mkmKm3z8Q
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) February 27, 2019
Sophomore Ariana Adams went four scoreless innings in the circle while allowing only one hit. Senior Brooke Bolinger struck out the side in the fifth and Texas put up six runs in the bottom of the inning to earn the run-rule win.
The Horns came out hot, pushing across a run in both the first and second innings to take an early 2-0 lead. The game stayed there until the fifth when Texas sent 10 hitters to bat in the six-run frame, capped with Malory Schattle’s RBI single to make it 8-0 and end the game.
Iakopo has made an immediate impact as a transfer from Oregon, and has now reached base in all 13 games as a Longhorn.
With this HR, @maryiakopo has now reached safely in ALL 13 GAMES played in her Texas career! pic.twitter.com/JQvfTp9Rei
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) February 28, 2019
Shannon Rhodes had two hits with a run scored and RBI, senior Ki'Audra Hayter hit a two-run pinch-hit triple in her lone at bat in the fifth to make it 7-0, and Bekah Alcozer also had an RBI in the game.
The Longhorns have won seven in a row heading into this weekend’s Sun Devil Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Texas will play five games over the weekend, starting with a 1 p.m. matchup against Wisconsin and a 6 p.m. showdown with No. 15 Arizona State.
Saturday the Horns play Princeton at 11 a.m. and Wisconsin again at 1:30 p.m., with the finale Sunday coming against Arizona State once more at 1:30 p.m.
