Six-run inning propels No. 7/9 Softball to 9-1 victory over North Texas
Feb. 8, 2013 AUSTIN, Texas - Freshman Holly Kern struck out six and earned the win in her first career start, as the Longhorns improved to 2-0 with a dominant 9-1 victory in six innings over North Texas Friday night at Red & Charline McCombs Field. Kern was given plenty of run support early, highlighted by junior Brejae Washington's inside-the-park home run during a six-run second inning. In the bottom of the second, freshman Stephanie Ceo brought in senior Torie Schmidt with a two-out single up the middle. Ceo became the second Longhorn freshman in as many nights to record a hit and RBI in her first career plate appearance. Fellow freshman Erin Shireman hit a two-run home run in Thursday night's season-opener. After a Taylor Hoagland single put runners on the corners, Texas put its second run on the board with a double-steal, scoring Ceo. With Hoagland at second, Washington hit her second inside-the-park home run of the last two years with a liner over the leftfielder to extend the lead to 4-0. After a double by senior Kim Bruins and back-to-back walks, Schmidt hit a bases-loaded single to right field to bring in Bruins and Shireman. North Texas scored its only run of the contest in the top of the fourth as Danielle Hoff doubled down the right-field line and scored on a Taylor Schoblocher double to right center. In the top of the second inning, Schoblocher became the first opponent to record a hit off the Texas pitching staff this season as she singled to center field. In the bottom of the fifth, junior Taylor Thom singled to right field, stole second and scored on junior Mandy Ogle's RBI double down the left-field line for a 7-1 advantage. Ogle then came around on a single by Ceo that was mishandled by the second basemen. Texas ended the game in the bottom of the sixth with Schmidt's second hit of the night. Kern doubled to right center with two outs to start the rally and was replaced by freshman pinch runner Taylor King, who scored on Schmidt's single to right. Schmidt ended the night with three RBI and was one of four Longhorns with multiple hits. Seven of the nine runs Friday night came with two outs. Eleven of the Longhorns' 15 runs this season have now come with two outs. Saturday, Texas faces Memphis at 1 p.m. CT then plays in a Texas Classic semifinal at 4 p.m. CT. Both games will be broadcast live on Longhorn Network. Post-Game Quotes On Holly Kern's first start: She did a tremendous job with her mental game. She had trouble finding her drop ball and changeup, but she worked on it right before the last inning and ended up getting a couple strikeouts out of it in the final inning with some adjustments. On the freshmen: There are six of them and they're all very talented. It's a good year to have six freshmen because we have veterans that can really help them along. They're a mature class, have a whole lot of a talent and have some versatility so that's going to help us down the stretch. Junior CF Brejae Washington On seeing the ball tonight: I was seeing the ball better today. They left the middle open a lot today and at times they had the outfielders in, so I knew that anything in the gap or up the middle was going to be a base hit. Freshman P/1B Holly Kern On getting her first start out of the way: I was a little nervous before the game, so I think that really flushed out the nerves for the rest of the year. On getting run support: It's good to have the offense help you out too. I was still a little nervous at that point, so getting those runs on the board definitely let me calm down a little bit. Post-Game Notes
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