Leahy’s two homers power Longhorns
Randel Leahy was seeing beach balls in the batter’s box Wednesday as Texas returned to McCombs Field after being swept there by Oklahoma last weekend.
The freshman was 3for-3 with two home runs, including a first-inning grand slam, to lead the Longhorns (28-12) to an 8-0 win over Texas-Arlington (26-20) in five innings.
“It looked pretty big,” Leahy said. “The first (home run), I knew that was going out. The second one, I wasn’t so sure.”
Leahy’s first homer was her first grand slam and was part of a six-run first inning for Texas.
Devon Tunning started it with a leadoff walk and Stephanie Wong followed with one of her two hits. Both scored on Erin Shireman’s two-out single, which began a series of hits to load the bases for Leahy.
“That’s what we talked about (this week). It’s all on how you respond and getting back to work, and I thought we responded,” Texas coach Connie Clark said. “Great at-bats for Randel. She’s really coming along.
“At the beginning of the year she was someone we felt like we wanted to get in the lineup.”
Texas added another run in the second inning when Wong scored on a passed ball.
UT-Arlington’s Taylor Simmonds pitched 3 2 /3 innings in relief and kept the Longhorns’ bats quiet after Sam Mentos gave up six runs in the first inning.
Simmonds, a freshman from Round Rock, gave up five hits and two runs, including Leahy’s second homer — a solo shot.
“It was nice to get that win after a tough weekend,” Leahy said. “Yeah, it was a tough weekend, but we learned from it.”
Sophomore Tiarra Davis got her ninth start for Texas, but it was her first since March 7 against Charlotte at the Carolina Classic in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Davis, who pitched an inning on Saturday against Oklahoma, worked two innings Wednesday as Texas used a pitch-by-committee approach. Davis gave up no hits, struck out two and walked two.
Senior Gabby Smith (8-2) earned the win. She gave up the Mavericks’ only hit while striking out six and walking one.
Freshman Erica Wright closed the game and struck out one.
“It was all about getting them work in a midweek, nonconference game,” Clark said. “All three of them did a really nice job of throwing to all zones and mixing up speeds efficiently, and that’s what we need. We need for those three to keep getting stronger and stronger.”
Texas returns to McCombs Field this weekend for a three-game series with Iowa State beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. Game two will be Saturday at 4 p.m. with the series finale scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.