With one out to go in the bottom of the seventh inning on Friday, Texas softball pulled senior pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez from the bullpen in exchange for freshman pitcher Hannah Wells.
Wells, making her collegiate debut, only needed five pitches to secure the Longhorns’ victory against No. 9 Nebraska at the UTSA Invitational.
Her first collegiate performance was a short one, but Wells’ immediate impact ignited her teammates and brought Texas fans to their feet. Additionally, it showed that last year’s stars aren’t the only ones to look out for in burnt orange this season.
“It’s fun to get going with this group and these freshmen,” senior second baseman Leighann Goode said after the game. “They’re unbelievable.”
The final score in this top-10 matchup was 15-10, each team rallying around explosive offensive plays in the fourth and seventh innings. Between these two innings, the two teams combined for 18 runs scored.
Senior catcher Reese Atwood helped seal the deal for the Longhorns in terms of offense, drilling a single up the middle and helping junior outfielder Kayden Henry cross home plate.
With three home runs on 16 hits, the Longhorns demonstrated their ability to generate offensive momentum. Unfortunately for Texas at points, the Cornhuskers were also able to use strong at bats to stay within striking distance.
“I think our team did well attacking and putting pressure on offense,” Goode said. “I think our defense can clean up a little bit, but overall, communication was well and just talking in the dugout as well.”
It took the Longhorns three pitchers and three hours to put this season opener away in San Antonio, with junior pitcher Teagan Kavan accumulating five errors and allowing seven runs before being pulled in the fourth inning.
Despite Nebraska’s inability to best Texas in the end, this effort showcased why the rankings classify the Cornhuskers as one of the nation’s top programs. Luckily for the Longhorns, plenty of time exists for making defensive adjustments.
In fact, they have three more opportunities this weekend alone to continue building upon this foundation. The Longhorns will actually meet the Cornhuskers again on Saturday at 3:35 p.m., giving each team the opportunity to make adjustments based on what worked and what needed work in Friday’s opener.
The National Championship is officially last season’s news, but Texas looks to rally around a strong blend of newcomers and returners to reach the pinnacle once more.
Using the momentum of their 30th consecutive victorious season opener, the Longhorns return to the field tomorrow against the Washington Huskies at 1:05 p.m.
