NORMAN, Okla. - The 10th-ranked and top-seeded University of Texas softball team blanked sixth-seeded Army 4-0 in the first game of the NCAA Regional 5 bracket on Thursday afternoon at the OU Softball Complex in Norman, Okla. With the win, the Longhorns (49-11) tie a program best for wins in a season, which they previously set in 1998 when the team finished 49-16.
Freshman left-handed pitcher Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas / Cypress Springs) went five innings without allowing a hit while striking out 12 of the 15 batters she faced to improve to 35-7 on the season. She now has record 13 straight wins while also posting double-figure strikeouts in 31 appearances this year. The Houston, Texas, native, who has 535 strikeouts on the year, has not allowed an earned run in her last 65.1 consecutive innings.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Amy Bradford (Lufkin, Texas / Lufkin) entered in the sixth inning in relief. Bradford gave up just one hit and two walks while fanning three batters.
The Longhorns struck first, posting three runs in the bottom of the fourth behind three hits and three Army errors. Senior rightfielder Deeanna Williams (Irving, Texas / Nimitz) led off with a single through the right side. Freshman third baseman Wynter Turner (San Pedro, Calif. / San Pedro) then sacrificed Williams to second base, but an errant throw by the Army third baseman allowed Turner to reach safely and advance to second while Williams moved to third. In an attempt to throw out Turner at second, the Army rightfielder threw the ball away, allowing Williams to score the first run of the day. Sophomore centerfielder Tamara Poppe (Kerrville, Texas / Tivy) followed with a single to move Turner to third and stole second a few pitches later. After a fly out, freshman first baseman Alexis Garcia (Covina, Calif. / South Hills) then reached on an infield single, scoring Turner. Poppe took off for home as Army attempted to run down Garcia between first and second, but the throw to the plate was not in time. Garcia reached second and then moved over to third on an errant throw by the catcher to second after Poppe scored.
Texas then tacked on another run in the fifth behind an RBI single by sophomore leftfielder Sarah Wieszczak (Pinehurst, Texas / Tomball) to score freshman shortstop Erin Mahoney (Los Angeles, Calif. / Notre Dame Academy), who led off with single to right.
Poppe and Wieszczak each went 2-for-3 in the contest. Mahoney, who finished 1-for-4, scored one run while setting the UT single-season record for stolen bases (25) when she swiped second in the fifth inning.
Shauna Evans (18-9), the Patriot League Pitcher of the Year, shouldered the loss as she pitched five innings and gave up four runs on eight hits. She also struck out two batters.
The Longhorns return to NCAA regional action on Friday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the OU Softball Complex when they take on the winner of Friday afternoon's game No. 5, which will be played at 2:30 p.m.