AUSTIN, Texas – After falling to No. 10 Texas in a close one-run battle (2-1) with tremendous efforts in the circle from the UTA pitching staff, the Mavericks closed out Saturday play with a 5-0 win over South Dakota.
INSDIE THE BOX SCORE – No. 10 Texas (L 2-1)
Senior
KJ Murphy and catcher
Sophie Wideman were responsible for UTA's two hits in the contest as Murphy drove in
Jessica Carreon with an RBI-single up the middle to tie it up 1-1.
Baytown, Texas native Murphy has notched at least one hit in the last 10 games while and recorded her 11
th RBI this season.
Head coach
Peejay Brun relied on the arms of
Laura Henriksen and Jojo Valencia in the circle for the Mavericks who had solid outings as Henriksen got the start and threw three innings allowing just one run off five hits.
Senior Valencia made an appearance in the fourth inning and went on to throw the remainder of the game and retired 10 out of 14 Longhorns in her time on the mound.
Texas scored the winning run off a squeeze play giving Valencia the loss.
PLAY BY PLAY – No. 10 Texas (L 2-1)
- Texas grabbed a 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning after a double steal from third to home then first to second.
- The Mavericks tied it up from an RBI- single from the bat of Murphy who scored Carreon in the top of the third.
- The game remained tied at 1-1 through three innings before a squeeze play that was executed by Texas' Mckenzie Parker that scored the winning run to end it 2-1.
- Henriksen and Valencia had quite the performance as the duo limited the Longhorns to just two runs.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE – South Dakota (W 5-0)
KJ Murphy paced UTA at the plate in game two going 3-4 with 2 RBI's joined by sophomore
Jadyn Erickson who finished with two hits.
Freshman
Gracie Bumpurs earned the start on the mound for game two of the day and powered through five innings and collected three strike outs.
The right hander limited South Dakota to just two hits across 16 batters in her outing.
Junior
Allie Gardiner replaced Bumpurs in the circle and threw the rest of the contest earning her second save of the season with Bumpurs getting the win.
PLAY BY PLAY – South Dakota (W 5-0)
- The game remained scoreless through four innings on both sides until the Mavericks plated two runs across from an RBI-single from the bat of Garcia and pinch-runner Anjelica Gonzalez stole home.
- UTA kept the rally going through the sixth inning as three more runs scored from an RBI- single from Erickson followed by an RBI- double from Murphy.
- South Dakota loaded the bases in the seventh inning but Gardiner managed to get out of the jam as UTA picked up the win.
ON DECK
The Mavericks will wrap up Bevo Classic play Sunday (Mar. 28) with a 10:00 a.m. rematch with South Dakota followed by No. 10 Texas at 12:30 p.m.