No. 1 Texas put together an offensive explosion early in their matchup with No. 8 Texas Tech to move on in the Big 12 Softball Tournament with a 13-4 victory on Thursday.
The Longhorns (46-6) took care of the Lady Raider (29-21) in the quarterfinals with an 11-run outburst in the first three innings of the game, giving them a commanding 11-4 lead that Texas Tech was unable to overcome.
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The game ended with the Lady Raiders run-ruled after five innings.
The Lady Raiders were coming off a comeback win over Iowa State on Wednesday that included four home runs in the final three innings, including an extra-inning walk-off in the eighth.
Texas advances to Friday’s semifinals where it will face either UCF or Baylor at 7:30 p.m.
Four different Texas players hit home runs off of Texas Tech pitching — Mia Scott, Viviana Martinez, Katie Stewart and Joley Mitchell.
Stewart had the big day, going 3-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored.
Mitchell went 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs, while Bella Dayton also had two hits.
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Texas Tech’s Abbie Orrick — who hit a solo home run against Iowa State on Wednesday night that sparked a seventh-inning rally to tie the game — went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Riley Love also had two hits.
Texas starter Mac Morgan (W, 12-1) threw four innings, giving up seven hits, four runs (three earned) while walking one and striking out one.
Maddy Wright (L, 11-10) took the loss for the Lady Raiders, as she pitched just one inning, giving up four hits, three runs (two earned) and a strikeouts. Maddie Kuehl took the brunt of the Longhorns’ offense, as she allowed three hits and five runs in 0.2 innings. Â
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
