The day started in a blaze, then quickly cooled to embers. The Longhorn softball team shut out an opponent to open play in Mexico at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, but then was shut out in the ensuing game.

The Longhorns first played Rutgers. Senior Paige von Sprecken pitched a complete-game shutout, her second of the season, as the Longhorns won 2-0. Von Sprecken also hit a solo home run during the game.

Freshman infielder MK Tedder notched her second RBI of the season — scoring sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth, who hustled for a triple to start the fourth inning.

“Having that depth will be good because if someone is struggling, somebody else can come in and hopefully get the job done,” redshirt junior pitcher Erica Wright said. “I’m hoping that we can all stay on the attack.”

But the second game of the day did not go so well for the Longhorns. Facing No. 15 Ole Miss, Wright gave up five runs in the first three innings of play, while the Texas offense did not put up a run until the bottom of the fifth. The Longhorns lost 8-2.

The offense this season has struggled so far, as the team has scored three runs or less in every game except for one.

The Longhorns continue play in Mexico on Friday against No. 3 Oregon. First pitch is 8 p.m.