Tunning, Ellsworth help UT end skid
Horns stop six-game losing streak behind senior and freshman.
Senior Devon Tunning and freshman catcher Taylor Ellsworth each homered as the Texas softball team defeated UTSA 7-2
at McCombs Field. win halts a six-game losing streak for the Longhorns(129), which started with a loss to Arizona State on Feb. 25.
“I think it was good to get back on the winning track,” said Texas coach Connie Clark. “We just talked about not being satisfied with the outcome. We have to trust and have that positive attitude that we’re on the verge of opening this thing up.”
Ellsworth was 2 for 3 with two runs, a home run and three RBIs. Tunning was 2 for 3 with a run, a home run and two RBIs. Stephanie Wong added to the offense by going 3 for 4 with a run and a stolen base as the Longhorns had 10 hits.
Paige von Spre cken (4-1) earned the win, allowing two runs on five hits in five innings. She struck out seven and didn’t give up a walk. Kristen Clark finished the game in the circle for Texas, pitching two perfect innings and striking out two.
Ellsworth’s first collegiate home run came in the bottom of the fourth inning when she hit a two-run shot down the left field line to put Texas up 3-0. Tunning hit her home run later in inning to give the Longhorns a 4-0 lead. Mickenzi Krpec added an RBI to make it 5-0 through four innings.
UTSA (9-12) responded with two runs in the top of the fifth but that’s all the Roadrunners would score.
Ellsworth’s first RBI came in the second inning on a sacrifice fly to score Kaitlyn Slack.
Tunning added an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth that scored Ellsworth. Kelli Hanzel also reached scored on a throwing error on the play to make it 7-2.
The Longhorns hit the road this weekend for a six-game trip to California. Texas takes on No. 10 UCLA on Sunday and will stay in L.A. to face Loyola Marymount on Tuesday.
Texas heads to Long Beach on Wednesday to take on Long Beach State before closing the trip with three games against Clark’s alma mater, Cal State Fullerton, beginning March 17 and concluding with a doubleheader March 18.