When describing a golden retriever, most refer to the dog as joyful, outgoing, trustworthy and easy to please. 

But for No. 1 Texas softball head coach Mike White, he refers to sophomore slugger Reese Atwood. 

“We call her the golden retriever,” White said. “Like a big puppy, she just wants to please, and she’s doing a good job of that right now.”

And Atwood did just that on Sunday. 

In the final game of the Baylor series, played on April 14, the Sandia, Texas, product was a triple shy of a cycle, going 3-3 with a home run, double and single. She also drew a walk to go along with her four RBI day. 

The two-run double Atwood had in the first inning was her 100th career hit. 

“What a great start for her and doing what she’s doing,” White said. 

Coming off two wins against No. 24/RV Baylor in the past two days, Texas wanted the sweep. After all, Baylor brought out their own brooms the year prior against the Longhorns. 

“It was definitely in the back of our heads all week,” Atwood said. “I think we were pretty upset by last year’s appearance against them.”

Texas came out swinging and in the first, Atwood hit a two-run double to the left field gap. 

Baylor might have bounced back in the second, finding three runs of its own, but the Longhorns stayed focused. In the bottom of the second, Texas scored four more runs, thanks to a RBI single by Atwood, an RBI single by redshirt sophomore outfielder Ashton Maloney, and a two-RBI double by junior third baseman Mia Scott. 

Texas would hold down its lead, and eventually bring out the brooms, winning 9-5. 

Despite every top-10 team, except for No. 3 Duke, losing a game, Texas is staying focused. Junior pitcher Mac Morgan is intent on keeping herself and her teammates from distractions.

“We enjoy every win but we’re not letting the outside noise affect us,” Morgan said. “We just want to play to who we are and just be confident in what we do and enjoy everything” 

The word “we” is a common concept amongst Texas softball — especially for Atwood. 

Now with the added pressure of the No. 1 ranking, the team is ready for the challenge. 

“We’re all bought into this program. Each game, each pitch,” Morgan said. “These girls are my family, and at the end of the day, they’re the ones I want to go out on the field with.”

No. 1 Texas is set to face the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence on April 19-21.