Game 1: 9-4 win over ULL
Singles outdid the long ball Wednesday as the No. 10 Longhorns defeated No. 15 Louisiana-Lafayette 9-4 in the first game of the double header. Senior Blaire Luna allowed two homers, accounting for three Ragin’ Cajun runs in the first two innings. But Luna settled down soon, allowing just three hits the rest of the way on pace to her tenth win in as many starts.
From the other side of the ball, the offense did the damage with singles and speed. Thirteen hits, 10 of which were singles and three of which were doubles, propelled the Longhorns to nine runs. Taylor Thom led the offensive effort once again with a 2-for-3 effort, as her two RBIs and three runs left her touch on more than half of the team’s scores.
Game 2: 7-1 win over ULL
A Thom two-run, first-inning homer was all Kim Bruins needed as she allowed just one run to the Ragin’ Cajuns for a 7-1 win. The Longhorns were in control the entire game, from beginning to end. The Longhorns had already scored five runs before the Ragin’ Cajuns were able to send a ball over the center field fence for their first run. Torie Schmidt reached on a fielder’s choice in the fifth before Thom closed the game the same way she opened it — with a homer.
Stock up: Gabby Smith
The utility player looks like she has found a permanent spot in right field and in the lineup for head coach Connie Clark after inconsistent play to start the year. On Feb. 22 at 13 games into the season, Smith was batting .211 and looked like she would only find the field in the circle. In the nine games since, she is batting .423, bringing her season total to .333.
Stock down: Torie Schmidt
Schmidt was second on the team with a .358 batting average last year as a junior, leading to lofty expectations in her final season in burnt orange. But she has taken a big step back. She is hitting just .250 this year after posting .345 or better the past two seasons. She also has the lowest slugging and on-base percentages of any Texas starter by a significant margin. A batting average of .250 is bad for a power hitter, but unacceptable for a contact hitter. And yet, she has still starting every game.
By the numbers:
24: Number of consecutive games Taylor Hoagland has reached base, giving her a touch in each game this season to tie her single-season high set in 2010.
90: Number of game Luna has won giving her sole possession of eighth place the Big 12 all-time list.
4: Number of games in winning streak against top-20 ranked opponents, a Texas high not matched since 2007 .
5: Hits by Taylor Thom in the two games in seven at-bats, running her average to .411. She also had six runs and five RBIs for the night.
