Game One: When Keilani Ricketts stepped onto McCombs Field Friday, she was ready to show No. 6 Texas why her team is No. 1. Karina Scott’s home run in the second was enough to tie the game but nothing else. Blaire Luna started, giving up four runs on four hits and six walks. After the Sooners drove in three runs against Luna in the third, Holly Kern took the mound to finish. Texas’ only remaining offensive threat came with a bases-loaded Taylor Thom at-bat in the seventh, but Thom struck out swinging as OU won, 6-1.

Game Two: Luna’s eight strikeouts Saturday stifled the Sooners offense as Texas rallied back for its first win over a No. 1 opponent since 2006. Taylor Hoagland scored on an error for an early first-inning lead and furthered the advantage off Taylor Thom’s two-run single in the fourth. Oklahoma shrunk the gap with a Georgia Casey homer, but after Ricketts came home in the seventh, catcher Mandy Ogle tagged out Jessica Shults at the plate to secure the 4-2 win.

Game Three: In a game befitting of a top-10 matchup, the first inning of Sunday’s series finale featured a two-out home run from each team. But a Luna error allowed Oklahoma to score a second run as well, as the team in crimson and cream took a lead they wouldn’t lose. The game kept fans on edge as the Texas defense dispelled threats in each of the next three innings. Thom matched Shelby Pendley’s second home run in the sixth to bring in Hoagland, who tripled. Down 5-2 in the seventh, the Longhorns notched one more run before Hoagland’s bases-loaded pop and Brejae Washington’s ensuing game-ending strikeout left the squad brimming with disappointment.

—Jori Epstein

.633: Even though she only reached base once Sunday, Hoagland’s is on pace to far surpass both the school and Big 12 single-season on-base percentage records. 

3621: The combined attendance for the weekend’s matches. As most season games have attracted closer to 500, the rowdy and spirited stands fueled the Longhorns’ spirits against a long-time rival.

Stock Up: 

Shortstop Taylor Thom: Whether on the field or at the plate, Taylor Thom was a strong vocal presence at McCombs Field this weekend. She didn’t let the Red River Rivalry hype get to her as she connected on hits in each of the weekend’s matches. Thom hit a home run in the first Sunday as part of her weekend .500 average (4-for-8) and four RBIs brought her single-season count to 50, tied for the second-most in program history.

Friday: W, 8-0 
Blaire Luna’s 100th career victory couldn’t have gone any better. She recorded her second straight no-hitter while striking out 11 to blank Iowa State, 8-0, in the series opener. While the senior took control in the circle, a freshman, Erin Shireman, provided the offense. No. 6 Texas scored three in the second to get off to an early lead and never looked back. Shireman collected three RBIs in the game to spark the offense. Taylor Thom and Torie Schmidt each recorded three hits in the game as well.

Saturday: W, 12-4 
After getting off to an early two-run deficit, the Longhorns quickly erased it with a program record-tying nine runs in the bottom of the first en route to a 12-4 victory. Senior Taylor Hoagland led the inning off by drawing a walk and hit her second grand slam of the year later in the frame. Shireman continued her hot-hitting series with a 3-for-3 day and two RBIs. Once the Longhorns jumped out to a 9-2 advantage, there was no turning back. The Cyclones cut the lead to 9-4 in the top of the fifth, but the Longhorns responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half to cap the scoring. Despite a rough start, Kim Bruins improved to 8-0 on the season with the complete-game victory.

Sunday: W, 7-2 
With Luna back in the circle, Texas concluded its weekend sweep of the Cyclones. Luna’s 11 strikeouts highlighted an effort that, by far, bested that of Iowa State pitching staff’s, which combined for just one. The Cyclones drew first blood again, pushing a run across in the second inning but Texas, led by Thom, Bruins and Hoagland, easily erased that deficit as well.

By the numbers:  
56—Taylor Hoagland’s walks this season. With her three walks Sunday, Hoagland broke the single-season Big 12 record set by Texas A&M’s Meagan May last year.  
77—Number of consecutive batters Blaire Luna faced without allowing a hit, until Sara Davison’s second-inning single Sunday.
.625—Freshman Erin Shireman’s batting average for the series. Shireman got a base hit in each of her three at-bats in Saturday’s contest.

The No. 6 Longhorns swept Iowa State (18-22, 3-6) this week to improve to 38-4, remain undefeated in conference play and extend their winning streak to 15 games.

Blaire Luna opened the series Friday by tossing her second consecutive no-hitter in an 8-0 victory over the Cyclones. It was Luna’s 100th career win as the senior All-American fanned 11 in five innings but the Texas offense contributed just as strongly. The team swiped seven bases and scored eight runs, led by three hits apiece from Taylor Thom and Torie Schmidt. Closing out the fourth, Erin Shireman singled to right, driving in her third batter of the night.

“[Shireman] has become more selective at the plate and is getting a better understanding of hitting with certain counts,” head coach Connie Clark said. “She is doing a great job of advancing runners, doing the little things we know she can do.”

Kim Bruins took the mound Saturday and got off to a shaky start but managed to pick up her eighth win this season, a career high. The Cyclones scored on the opening play of the game, when Bruins and Shireman each committed throwing errors on a Brittany Gomez leadoff single. Erica Miller’s RBI double later in the frame gave Iowa State an early 2-0 lead.

But Taylor Hoagland helped Texas erase that deficit in a hurry. After her Big 12-leading 52nd walk preceded five Longhorn runs, Hoagland stepped back up with the bases loaded and crushed a grand slam. Three scoreless innings followed before the Cyclones shrunk the lead to 9-4 at the top of the fifth. Texas responded with three to secure their 12th run-rule victory of the season.

“I think we had some miscommunication in the first inning and then we realized we needed to get it under control,” Hoagland said. “We needed to change the momentum and that’s what we did with our nine runs. I’m glad we had an answer for everything in that game.”

Sunday wasn’t quite as solid of an effort, but Texas still pulled off a 7-2 win. Luna struck out 11, allowing four hits, five walks and two runs. Texas drew six walks and got five of their seven runs from Thom and Hoagland.

“It was a grind today but for the third day of the series, it was good we finished it out and found the outcome we were looking for,” Clark said. “It’s not necessarily about how you start it, it’s about how you finish.”

If there is one thing that people can say is wrong with this Texas team, it definitely can’t be leadership.

The Longhorns are coming off a seven-game winning streak in which they claimed their first three games of Big 12 play. Needless to say, Texas’ veteran players had a large part to do with those wins.

The Longhorns’ have only eight upperclassmen on their roster, four of whom are seniors. Despite this low number they still continue to produce solid numbers each game.

Four of these upperclassmen hold top spots in the Longhorns’ statistics this season thus far — senior Taylor Hoagland, junior Taylor Thom, junior Brejae Washington and senior Blaire Luna.

Hoagland sits atop six of the 13 offensive leader spots for her team, including batting average (.463), runs scored (38) and slugging percentage (89%). For the month of March, the Flower Mound native is batting .465, has 18 runs while driving in 12 and hit six home runs. On top of that she leads all Division 1 players in on-base percentage (.646). 

Another offensive trailblazer is Thom. Thom has 40 hits on the season with nine of those being home runs. She also leads the Longhorns in RBIs (40). But the biggest impact of the junior has been her consistency.

Thom has been a force at the plate all season for Texas. Her extra-base hits this season have already tied two NCAA records — a record of three doubles in a single game in late February and a two-grand-slam and eight-RBI performance earlier that month.

Luna is also once again having an outstanding season at the mound. After finishing third in the nation in strikeouts per seven innings (10.6) last year, the Austin native leads the Big 12 in three categories this season so far — wins (16), batting average against (.110) and strikeouts (208) — giving the Longhorns the defensive power they need.

This leadership acts as a perfect example for the younger players on this Texas team. Underclassmen such as freshman Stephanie Ceo have looked up to these veterans for advice and encouragement and have improved in the last few games.  

Ceo, who sparked two rallies with hits off  two of the best pitchers in the league last week against Baylor, has continually used the older players on the team to her advantage. She frequently bounces ideas off them and uses their encouraging words to make herself better.

These veterans have also shown that hard work will pay off even in slumps. Thom came into her sophomore season with high expectations but failed to meet a lot of them. She had an unproductive year compared to her freshman year with only 28 RBIs and seven stolen bases but came back this season after an intense offseason producing those customary results.

The Longhorns should continue to use this leadership to their benefit, not only learning from the veterans’ mistakes but also improving off their accolades. If that happens, Texas will continue to be one of the most unstoppable teams in college softball right now.

Though unable to score in the first four innings of either weekend match this weekend, No. 9 Texas (29-4, 2-0) trumped No. 18 Baylor (26-7, 0-2) in both contests to start off conference play. The teams faced off on both opponents’ turfs, as the Longhorns rose to 8-2 against ranked teams this season.

Texas opened the weekend in Waco with an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel. Both Blaire Luna and the Bears’ Whitney Canion struck out 14 batters as Luna didn’t allow even a single hit until the eighth inning. Three baseless innings further focused the action on the mound before Taylor Thom’s ninth-inning bases-loaded single plated Stephanie Ceo. Kim Bruins then doubled to the gap in left center to drive in Taylor Hoagland and Brejae Washington. Thom’s unearned run closed the game 4-0 when Luna allowed a leadoff single to the Baylor batting lineup.

“It’s about staying pitch-to-pitch and controlling what I can control,” Luna said. “It’s more just not overthinking things. Being that this is the fourth time they have seen me, it’s about playing chess and not getting consumed.”

Back at McCombs Field Sunday, the Longhorns started off slow again. A Hoagland error allowed pinch runner Justine Young to score unearned in the second as the Bears took their first lead of the weekend. A series of fifth- and sixth-inning fielding errors and unearned runs brought the final score to 5-1. Though shaky, Texas managed to pull away undefeated in conference play.

“The outcomes are good,” head coach Connie Clark said of the weekend matches. “Our biggest takeaway from the locker room today needs to be that you learn to love to play under pressure. Yesterday I thought we were in A+ dealing with [adversity]. Today I thought we were a C+. It’s going to be tough but I love that we did get two Ws and that we were challenged in both.”

Thom echoed Clark’s mentality, helping the Longhorns with one run, one hit and two RBIs this weekend.           

“I love pressure situations like that,” Thom said. “That’s what we live for and thrive for. I’m just excited to be up there in that situation — get a base hit and get my runners in. But for us to beat teams like that, we’re going to have to be consistent.”

Published on March 25, 2013 as "Horns overwhelm Bears in first Big 12 play". 

When junior shortstop Taylor Thom steps on the field, teammates and fans alike know what to expect: consistency. 

She gives No. 9 Texas consistent effort at shortstop, consistently strong at-bats that total 31 runs and 38 RBIs so far this season, and a fairly consistent long ball that has accounted for 18 extra-base hits. But Thom’s consistency goes beyond her play to her attitude. Amidst the swishing blonde ponytail and piercing blue eyes, Thom consistently displays a smile and character that motivate her teammates.

“It’s great to see her playing so confidently,” third baseman Taylor Hoagland said of Thom. “We want to be big and let nothing by us. And then at the plate, I can always ask [Thom] what she is seeing or what I should watch for.”

After a strong freshman season which showed Thom’s potential, her sophomore year proved less satisfying. Thom found herself distracted, dropping her batting average nearly six points, bringing in just over half as many runs as her first season and nearly losing her home run reputation.

But come off-season, Thom didn’t fold. She used her 2012 results to fuel a fiery return.

“As freshmen, nobody has a scouting report and they go crazy,” head coach Connie Clark said. “As a sophomore, scouting reports are out and there are some frustrations that set in at times — we just try to work through those. By the time they’re juniors, they understand the big-picture view of the game and how to respect that. Now [Taylor Thom] has that freedom and looks amazing. To me, to be honest, she looks like a junior.”

Thirty-one games into the season, Thom’s experiences shows. She boasts the fourth best batting average on the team at .392. With a .763 slugging percentage, Thom’s long balls have tied two NCAA records this season: a single-game record of three doubles, versus Utah State on Feb. 23, and two grand slams at Houston in an eight-RBI performance Feb. 16.

“An NCAA record is a crazy feeling and it’s truly an honor to be among some of the top players,” Thom said. “I wasn’t really thinking at the time ‘Oh, I’m going to tie this NCAA record,’ but afterwards, it was a surreal feeling.”

Texas opens conference play against Baylor this weekend, with games both at home and on the road. Last May, Thom connected on a hit and a sacrafice bunt when the Longhorns trumped the Bears 3-1 to close out conference play in 2012. Baylor returns both pitchers from that game and Thom feels she and the team are ready. 

“I’ve faced these pitchers multiple times so I know what’s coming and then I have the confidence that I can hit this and I’m a good batter,” Thom said. “We’re all very tight this year and tough mentally. Now we’re focused on getting that NCAA national championship.”

As she looks at her remaining season and a half on the 40 Acres, Thom already knows her goal. She’s found her family, made her friends and played alongside sisters. But she doesn’t want that to be it when she graduates.

“I want to leave here and people remember my name, to say ‘I want to work as hard as Taylor Thom.’ I just want people to remember me.”

No. 10 Texas (23-3) shut out Texas State (3-19) in home matches Friday and Sunday. The teams cancelled their Saturday meet scheduled in San Marcos due to poor field conditions.

In Friday’s game, Taylor Hoagland’s two home runs complemented Blaire Luna’s 17 strikeouts, which tied a career high, in a 7-0 dominating win. Mandy Ogle assisted both threats, adding her own three-run homer in the third after catching for Luna as she fanned the initial eight.

“Mandy provides a lot of confidence for our pitching staff and actually provides a lot of confidence for [freshman catcher] Erin Shireman when she is calling in pitches and when they talk about things in between innings,” head coach Connie Clark said. “What you can’t simulate until you get in the game is getting to know the pitching and learning how to call pitches. Erin is doing a nice job of soaking things in.”

The Longhorns scored seven runs on 12 hits and four walks. Ashley Wright (3-6) took the loss for Texas State and didn't make it out of the second inning.

Back at McCombs Field Sunday, the Longhorns blanked the Bobcats again. This time, Kim Bruins (7-0) continued her undefeated season before freshman Holly Kern covered the final two innings as they combined to allow just two hits in the shutout. Though Bruins allowed a season-low one hit, she walked a season-high seven.

“[Kim Bruins] competes so well and she did a great job of working through the game,” Clark said. “Being a good pitcher has to do with focusing on what you have on a good day and not what you may not have.”

Offensively, Taylor Thom drove in her eighth RBI of the week. Thom is batting .455 (25-for-55) over her last 17 games with 24 hits, 21 runs and 30 RBIs. Brejae Washington’s two RBIs for the game brought her season total to 16, just one shy of her single-year career high in 2011. Washington commends the squad on its season consistency.

“We started off at a good pace and now that we are playing higher ranked teams, we are still sticking to our game plan,” Washington said. “The depth that we have on this team is unreal. I know last year we struggled with that a little bit, but this year we have a lot of depth. Whenever someone else isn’t getting the job done, we know that we can trust the next girl.”

The Longhorns resume play Thursday at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif. The team meets its highest-ranked foe yet in No. 3 Arizona at 8:30 p.m.

Game 1: 9-4 win over ULL

Singles outdid the long ball Wednesday as the No. 10 Longhorns defeated No. 15 Louisiana-Lafayette 9-4 in the first game of the double header. Senior Blaire Luna allowed two homers, accounting for three Ragin’ Cajun runs in the first two innings. But Luna settled down soon, allowing just three hits the rest of the way on pace to her tenth win in as many starts. 

From the other side of the ball, the offense did the damage with singles and speed. Thirteen hits, 10 of which were singles and three of which were doubles, propelled the Longhorns to nine runs. Taylor Thom led the offensive effort once again with a 2-for-3 effort, as her two RBIs and three runs left her touch on more than half of the team’s scores. 

Game 2: 7-1 win over ULL

A Thom two-run, first-inning homer was all Kim Bruins needed as she allowed just one run to the Ragin’ Cajuns for a 7-1 win. The Longhorns were in control the entire game, from beginning to end. The Longhorns had already scored five runs before the Ragin’ Cajuns were able to send a ball over the center field fence for their first run. Torie Schmidt reached on a fielder’s choice in the fifth before Thom closed the game the same way she opened it — with a homer. 

Stock up: Gabby Smith 

The utility player looks like she has found a permanent spot in right field and in the lineup for head coach Connie Clark after inconsistent play to start the year. On Feb. 22 at 13 games into the season, Smith was batting .211 and looked like she would only find the field in the circle. In the nine games since, she is batting .423, bringing her season total to .333. 

Stock down: Torie Schmidt

Schmidt was second on the team with a .358 batting average last year as a junior, leading to lofty expectations in her final season in burnt orange. But she has taken a big step back. She is hitting just .250 this year after posting .345 or better the past two seasons. She also has the lowest slugging and on-base percentages of any Texas starter by a significant margin. A batting average of .250 is bad for a power hitter, but unacceptable for a contact hitter. And yet, she has still starting every game. 

By the numbers:

24: Number of consecutive games Taylor Hoagland has reached base, giving her a touch in each game this season to tie her single-season high set in 2010. 

90: Number of game Luna has won giving her sole possession of eighth place the Big 12 all-time list. 

4: Number of games in winning streak against top-20 ranked opponents, a Texas high not matched since 2007 .

5: Hits by Taylor Thom in the two games in seven at-bats, running her average to .411. She also had six runs and five RBIs for the night.