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Williams puts Softball one win away from College World Series
AUSTIN, Texas -- For the second game in a row, Jacqueline Williams (Arlington, Texas) brought in the game-winning run as she took a two-out, 3-2 pitch through the left side of the infield to plate Wynter Turner (San Pedro, Calif.) to give Texas a 1-0 victory over Bethune-Cookman in the NCAA Austin Super Regional in front of 1,103 at UT McCombs Field. Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) threw a two-hit shutout and struck out 20 batters to keep Texas alive and one victory away from the team's third Women's College World Series appearance in program history. Texas (46-11) collected seven hits, led by Tina Boutelle's (Katy, Texas) 2-for-4 effort, while the Wildcats (49-18) were two-hit by Osterman and must now defeat the Longhorns twice on Saturday to earn a bid to the WCWS. Osterman (28-6) tossed her 20th shutout of the season to take the victory, allowing two hits and pushing her scoreless streak to 50.1 innings spanning nine games. She has not allowed a run in the postseason (seven appearances). With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Turner beat out an infield single and then moved to second when Amber Hall (Deer Park, Texas) was hit by a pitch. After a double steal to push the runners to second and third, Williams battled in her at-bat, drawing a full count before connecting for the game-winning hit, her sixth of the season. It was the second game in a row in which she brought in the game-winning run, as she also had the game-winning two-run double against Mississippi State on May 22 to push Texas into the Super Regionals. After a two-out single that snuck through the infield in the first inning, Bethune-Cookman saw the next 21 batters retired by Osterman and the Longhorns, 15 via strikeout. Megan McGuire beat out a two-out infield single in the eighth inning to give the Wildcats their first runner in seven innings, but Osterman struck out Sarde Stewart to end the inning and send the game to the ninth frame. Texas had base runners in every inning but one - the third - and left six runners on base before Williams ended the game. Lauren McCoy (20-13) took the loss after allowing one run on seven hits while striking out five and walking one in the 8.2 inning effort. The two teams will meet again on Saturday, May 28, in a 2 p.m. game. If Texas wins, they will advance to the Women's College World Series, June 2-8, in Oklahoma City. If Bethune-Cookman wins that game, a third game in the series will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the 2 p.m. game - at approximately - 4:30 p.m. with a spot in the WCWS at stake. Both games will be televised live on ESPNU (DirecTV channel 609). POSTGAME QUOTES Senior pitcher Lauren McCoy Texas Head Coach Connie Clark On facing Lauren McCoy: I thought McCoy was definitely in a rhythm so we had to keep taking the game one pitch at a time. Tonight, we didn't make adjustments early enough, and I think we were pressing a little more than we would have liked. McCoy kept us honest most of the night. Junior pitcher Cat Osterman Sophomore designated player Jacqueline Williams
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