Going into the bottom of the seventh inning down a single run against No. 9 LSU, it was do or die for No. 3 Texas softball.
One run would send the game into extra innings, anything more would clinch the series for the Longhorns after a hard-fought win Thursday and a loss Friday.
With junior utility Leighann Goode on third base, sophomore outfielder Kayden Henry hit a single to the right side to score Goode and tie up the game. In a clutch play to put herself in scoring position, Henry stole second base. Senior utility Mia Scott then hit a pitch close to home plate, forcing LSU’s ace pitcher, junior Sydney Berzon, to make a play to first base, but the speed of Scott’s legs beat the speed of Berzon’s throw, and she was ruled safe.
It looked extremely quick to the naked eye, so the Tigers’ first baseman hesitated throwing to home plate, and LSU’s catcher was unable to gather the ball in time; Henry slid across home plate to take the third game 6–5 and the series for the Longhorns.
“That last play was just like a ‘Risk and Reward’ situation,” Henry said to Texas Athletics. “Being the baller and competitor that Mia (Scott) is, I knew she was going to beat (Berzon’s) throw, so I wanted to get to third hard and then take the risk of going home. If I’m out, then we play another inning and keep grinding this out, or I can be safe and we win.”
It was quick thinking and a risky decision on Scott’s end as well in a chaotic situation. There was a significant chance she would be grounded out at first base and the Tigers coaching staff wanted an out call by the officials, but the mayhem of the play was key in Henry sliding home.
“I can’t even remember what all happened at the end there, to be honest, all I can say is there was a play at first base,” head coach Mike White said to Texas Athletics. “Mia (Scott) had an opportunity to beat the ball out at first base, and we were able to do that. (LSU) was trying to get the (out) call and was a little muffed for a split second, so we were able to send Kayden (Henry) home.”
Texas was the team to draw first blood after junior catcher Reese Atwood blasted a leadoff solo homer to centerfield in the bottom of the second, marking her 50th career home run.
A fear of a repeat of yesterday’s game increased when the Tigers tied the game up in the top of the fifth. LSU’s redshirt senior infielder Danieca Coffey hit a single, allowing sophomore utility Maddox McKee to score from third. Texas failed to respond, going three and out, and the Tigers took the lead in the top of the sixth after senior outfielder McKenzie Redoutey hit a two-run homer.
From the bottom of the sixth, it was a back-and-forth battle between the teams.
Though Texas was down just two runs, the bats were so stale throughout the game that it almost seemed like an impossible feat for the Longhorns to crawl back and retake the lead. That is, until Texas scored for the first time since the second inning when graduate infielder Joley Mitchell launched a three-run homer over the left side of the wall, retaking the lead to initiate the late-inning drama that followed.
The Longhorns will hit the road for a four game stretch, playing No. 22 Oklahoma State on Wednesday before taking on rivals No. 4 Oklahoma in a three-game series.
