The Longhorns split their two games Saturday afternoon in the Texas Invitational, dropping a second-straight game to Tulsa before rebounding with a win over Illinois.

Tulsa starter Caitlin Sill pitched a two-hit shutout and kept the Longhorns off the board for a 3-0 win in the morning game.  

The Golden Wave jumped out early, loading the bases in the first on two walks and a hit with one down. After a strikeout, von Sprecken looked like she might get out of the jam, but a two-run double by Jocelyn Sheffield gave Tulsa a 2-0 lead. Kaitlin Allen added an RBI single to left center in the top of the fourth.

Texas’ best scoring opportunity came in the bottom of the third when junior first baseman Kelli Hanzel and senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens both reached on walks. But junior third baseman Celina Felix ended the inning by lacing a line drive right at the Tulsa center fielder, stranding the two runners. Felix and junior designated player Taylor McAllister were the only Longhorns to reach Sill for hits.  

The Longhorns got back in the win column in the afternoon, defeating Illinois 8-1 to improve their record to 13-2. Junior pitcher Tiarra Davis led the way with a complete-game two-hitter.  Davis allowed only one unearned run with no walks and seven strikeouts to improve her record to 8-1. 

Illinois got on the board first by scoring an unearned run in the top of the third to go up 1-0.  Texas responded in the bottom of the third. Stephens got things started with a double to deep left. Felix brought her in two batters later with a single up the middle to tie the score. After an aborted pickoff attempt, McAllister brought Felix home with an RBI double into the right field corner to put Texas up 2-1.

Stephens extended the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth, scoring Kelli Hanzel with a two-out double off the wall in left.  Texas added 5 runs in the sixth on 2 walks, a botched fielder’s choice play at second and RBI singles from Stephens, Hathaway and Alcozer to increase the lead to 8-1.

Senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens led the hitting attack, going 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Joining the hitting parade, Felix went 2-for-4 with a two runs scored and a RBI, and McAllister, freshman right fielder Reagan Hathaway, and freshman pinch hitter Bekah Alcozer all contributed run scoring hits.

The Longhorns return to action Sunday at 10 a.m. against Weber State to finish out the tournament.