 "Photo: May-Ying Lam")
The road to the Big 12 tournament only gets tougher from here.
After splitting their weekend series with Missouri, the Longhorns seek to improve their conference record as they head to Waco tonight, Norman this weekend and College Station next week.
The Longhorns battle the Baylor Bears tonight in Waco at 6:30. In their last meeting with the Bears, the Longhorns rallied to claim a 4-3 edge in the bottom of the sixth, but the Bears came out on top with a 5-4 win in the seventh inning. Senior hurler Meagan Denny tossed 5 1/3 innings before freshman right-hander Brittany Barnhill came in for relief and a change of pace.
"The game is about momentum, and they were coming through their lineup where they have seen our pitcher several times," Texas coach Connie Clark said after their first match against Baylor. "Barnhill mixes speeds a little more effectively and we thought that was something that could keep them a little bit off-balance."
The Bears still put together a two-run rally to push ahead. Barnhill had a 1-2 count, and if her pitch had been a few inches outside of the plate, they might've gone fishing for strike three.
Throughout the season, Barnhill's performances have drastically improved. Among other things, she has learned how to go after hitters, not give up free passes and let the defense do some work too - all of which have contributed to her overall development as an asset for Texas.
Though they split their series with Missouri last weekend, the Longhorns finished off their week with a notable 4-1 record. Clark noticed that her team has been "as enthusiastic as they've been all year."
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