AMES, Iowa – Home runs from sophomore shortstop McKenzie Parker, junior designated player Mary Iakopo and sophomore catcher Colleen Sullivan backed a two-hit shutout from sophomore pitcher Shea O'Leary as No. 7/8 Texas softball (31-3, 6-0 Big 12 Conference) completed a road league sweep of Iowa State (23-14, 0-9 Big 12 Conference), 10-0 (6 inn.).
Important Notes
- Texas is currently riding a season-long 14-game winning streak dating back to March 19.
- At 31-3, Texas is tied with the 2006 & 2011 Longhorns for the second-best 34-game start in school history.
- With three more HR's on Sunday against the Cyclones, Texas has now hit multiple HR's in a game on 17 separate occasions this year.
- Texas has now started 6-0 in Big 12 Conference play for the first time since 2018 and for only the sixth time in program history (2002, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2021).
- With another hit on Sunday, Jefferson now has 240 in her career. The Humble, Texas, native needs just 15 more to break former Longhorns standout Brejae Washington's (2011-14) career mark of 254 hits.
- Texas extended its series advantage over the Cyclones to 59-4, including 27-0 all-time in Ames.
Major Players
Junior designated player Mary Iakopo (3-for-4, two runs, double, HR, two RBIs); sophomore catcher Colleen Sullivan (3-for-4, run, two doubles, HR, four RBIs); sophomore shortstop McKenzie Parker (1-for-3, three runs, walk, HR, two RBIs); junior second baseman Janae Jefferson (1-for-3, run, walk, double, RBI).
In the Circle
O'Leary (9-0) was dominant from the circle, earning the win after tossing a complete-game, two-hit shutout with no walks and six strikeouts.
The Details
Jefferson started off a first-inning scoring rally for the Longhorns on Sunday by walking to open the contest and stealing second. With two retired in the frame, Iakopo blasted her 11th HR of the season out to right center to hand the Longhorns a quick, 2-0 advantage.
Texas added another in the top of the second to make it 3-0 on back-to-back doubles to left center from freshman third baseman Bree Cantu and Jefferson.
With O'Leary limiting the Cyclones to just one hit over the opening two frames, the Burnt Orange & White kept the offensive pressure on into the third. Parker led off the frame with a walk and Iakopo doubled down the line in left to put two in scoring position with still no one out. Sullivan stepped up and ripped a two-RBI two-bagger to the fence in left center to boost the gap to 5-0.\
Rhodes kicked off a two-out rally for the Longhorns in the fourth by battling to draw a walk off Iowa State reliever Shannon Mortimer. Parker followed immediately by hammering a two-run HR out to right center as the lead continued to climb at 7-0.
Iowa State got off to a promising start in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff bunt single from shortstop Sami Williams. Catcher Mikayla Ramos stepped up to the plate and hit a liner to short, but Parker climbed the ladder to steal a hit on a great leaping catch for a big first out. From there, O'Leary's fourth K of the game and a caught stealing ended the frame with no damage.
Texas put three more runs on the scoreboard in the sixth to take a 10-0 lead. Rhodes again got things rolling by singling up the middle. After a fielder's choice play to second was thrown away by ISU, the Longhorns owned runners at the corners with one out. Iakopo hit a sharp liner to short that was caught by Iowa State's Williams. She tried to catch Rhodes straying off third for a double play, but her throw was wild as Rhodes scampered home to make it 8-0. Two batters later, Sullivan launched a two-run HR out to left to finalize the double-digit scoring output.
Needing just three outs to bring the run-rule into effect, O'Leary finished things off in style with a strikeout, a bouncer to third and a bouncer to first.
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April 12, 2021 at 02:33AM
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No. 7/8 Softball finishes sweep of Iowa State, 10-0 (6 inn.) - TexasSports.com
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