Longhorn softball came back strong after conceding a season-high 12 runs in a loss to Houston the previous day. Senior second baseman Alyssa Washington shined, hitting two home runs in a 9-2 victory over Houston—her second multi-homer game of the season. She drove in five RBIs in the first and seventh innings, bringing her season total to six home runs.
Freshman pitcher Teagan Kavan threw her second straight complete game, striking out five batters over 105 pitches. Allowing only two runs, her season ERA improved to 1.27, and she leads all Texas pitchers with 49.2 innings pitched
Leading off for the Longhorns in the first inning, freshman center fielder Kayden Henry hit a double to left field. Henry, a former track star from Dickinson (TX) High School, stole third base. During the play, Houston junior catcher Turiya Coleman overthrew the third baseman, allowing Henry to score. In an instant, Texas secured a 1-0 lead, which they maintained for the remainder of the game.
The Longhorns continued their strong start in the first inning. Junior first baseman Katie Cimusz singled, bringing in junior third baseman Mia Scott. Washington then hit a home run, driving in Cimusz and senior infielder and third baseman Joley Mitchell. Before the first three outs were recorded, Texas had established a 5-0 lead.
Houston responded in the third inning. With the bases loaded, Kavan hit Coleman, allowing Houston to score. In the next at-bat, graduate student and pitcher Shelby Smith singled to center field, driving in graduate student and center fielder Kennedy Thomas. However, these were the only runs the Cougars managed to score. In the following at-bat, Houston’s junior left fielder Ja’Naiya Thomas grounded into a double play, allowing Kavan and the Longhorns to escape the inning. Houston’s two runs were their only scores of the game.
