With temperatures dropping and leaves falling, Texas softball began its fall schedule 2-0.

Sweeping a doubleheader over Howard, the Longhorns opened their eight-game autumn slate with a pair of wins Friday night. In the first game of the evening affair, junior Tiarra Davis, and sophomores Paige von Sprecken and Kristen Clark combined for a three-hit shutout. Racking up five strikeouts in the effort, the trio stifled the Hawks in game 1-of-2.

The Longhorn bats held up their end of the bargain, plating nine runs in the blowout. Junior Stephanie Wong led the way, going a perfect 2-for-2 from the plate including a triple and 2 RBIs.

Howard attempted to even up the two-game set, getting two runs across the plate in the second half of the doubleheader, but to no avail.

Tiarra Davis got more work from the circle, starting and completing a couple scoreless innings in Texas’ 6–2 win.

Junior Devon Tunning, who hit a team-best .350 last season, had a sparkling performance. The infielder went 2-for-2 with a double, a stolen base, and two runs scored.

Senior centerfielder Lindsey Stephens, and last year’s RBI leader, followed Tunning’s lead, bringing two of her teammates home in the team’s six-run effort.

Head coach Connie Clark used a deep rotation and bench to get the two wins. No starter saw more than two at-bats in either game, and the most innings pitched in either game belonged to transfer Paige von Sprecken, who threw three scoreless frames.

The Longhorns take the field Thursday against Temple.