Following their performance in California, Texas earned a top-10 ranking for the first time this season. At No. 8, Texas improved its season record to 26-3 Wednesday night. The Longhorns swept both games of their doubleheader 6-0 and 2-0 against the Islanders Wednesday night. Head coach Connie Clark was impressed with her team’s ability to perform at a superior level following their long six-game stretch this past weekend.
“I thought that their focus was great,” Clark said. “To have a non-conference doubleheader in the middle [of the week] before heading into conference tests your focus. I was very pleased with their performance tonight.”
Sophomore starter Blaire Luna and freshman pitcher Rachel Fox gave up a combined four hits while walking three batters in 14 innings of work. The first game of the evening marked Luna’s fourth-straight complete game shutout as well as her 10th of the season. Including tonight’s game, Luna has pitched 33 consecutive innings without giving up a run. Fox earned her third complete game shutout of the season while lowering her season ERA to 1.10 and has only given up three hits in her last 25 innings in the circle.
“I think that Hooks and I were in the zone tonight,” said Fox about her performance and her ability to work with catcher Amy Hooks. “It was a good strategy that we had going at the batters. Also with such a great team playing defense behind us it makes it so much easier and makes us more comfortable.”
Juniors Lexy Bennett, Nadia Taylor and Courtney Craig led the Texas offense through both ends of the doubleheader. Bennett and Craig took control of game one with two hits apiece. Bennett scored two runs while adding two RBIs off of Jordan Trujillo, the islander’s starter. Craig, coming off of an injury earned one run and one stolen base in the first game and drove in another run in the evening’s finale. Taylor had an RBI and went 2-2 during game two.
“We knew it was going to be a grind midweek after coming off the six games,” said Hooks. “We had team goals tonight and just talked in the locker room about playing Texas Softball and not letting Fullerton carry over, even though it was great.”
Texas beings conference play this weekend in a two game series against Kansas at McCombs Field in Austin.
