OKLAHOMA CITY – No. 3 seeded Texas scored a decisive seven runs in the third inning, highlighted by Katie Cimusz’s three-run home run, to advance the Longhorns (38-16-1) past No. 6  seed Texas Tech in the nightcap of the 2022 Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship. Ultimately, it was Lauren Burke’s walk-off RBI to left scoring Lou Gilbert that provided the fifth inning run-rule 9-1 margin.
 
“We did a really good job coming out and dominating with Hailey (Dolcini) coming out early and dominating the first three innings,” said Texas head coach Mike White. “I thought it was a real good team win for us, no errors today, I thought we looked confident out there.”
 
Dolcini earned her 19^th win of the year, allowing one earned run in four innings and striking out seven.
 
Texas began the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when Mary Iakopo drove in her 49^th run of the year, scoring Mia Scott, who had singled. UT was 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position and hit .500 with two outs.
 
In the third inning, a pair of Texas Tech fielding errors helped put runners aboard for Cimusz, a freshman. She belted the only home run of the day in the three games at USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex, her eighth homer of the year.
 
Texas Tech answered with a run in the fourth inning on a sac fly RBI from Ellie Bailey. Tech had played Texas to two 1-run games just two weeks ago to close out the regular season, a sweep by the Longhorns. Tech ends the year 22-27.
 
The Longhorns now advance to play Oklahoma State in the semifinals on Friday at 4 p.m. CT on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. It will be the third straight year the Horns and Cowgirls have met in the Big 12 postseason, with OSU winning the last two matchups.
 
“They’re very dangerous. They can erupt at any time, we’ve seen that. They fundamentally play the game the right way, they’re well-coached,” said White.
 
In the other semifinal, regular-season Big 12 champion and No. 1 seed Oklahoma will face the fourth seed Iowa State at 1 p.m. CT on ESPNU. The Cyclones kicked off the day in Oklahoma City with a 2-1 win over fifth-seeded Baylor. 
 
 

2022 Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship
First Round - Thursday, May 12
12 p.m.	Game 1: No. 4 Iowa State 2, No. 5 Baylor 1 (8 inn.)	ESPNU	Box Score Recap
3 p.m.	Game 2: No. 2 Oklahoma State 2, No. 7 Kansas 0	Big 12 Now on ESPN+	Box Score Recap
6 p.m.	Game 3: No. 3 Texas 9, No. 6 Texas Tech 1 (5 inn.)	Big 12 Now on ESPN+	Box Score
Semifinals - Friday, May 13
1 p.m.	Game 4: No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 4 Iowa State	ESPNU
4 p.m.	Game 5: No. 2 Oklahoma State vs. No. 3 Texas	Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Championship - Saturday, May 14
2 p.m.	Game 6: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner	ESPN2

 
Game times and television networks are subject to change