Texas softball clinched a hard-fought series win over Mississippi State on Sunday with a 7-2 win in Starkville, Miss.
The No. 1 Longhorns (34-3, 7-2) will enter this weekend’s series at Missouri in first place in a crowded SEC race. Texas is one game in the loss column ahead of Oklahoma, LSU, Florida, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and Ole Miss.
Kayden Henry gave Texas a 2-0 lead in the first inning after tripling home Ashton Maloney and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Mia Scott. That would prove enough for starting pitcher Teagan Kavan (15-2), who worked six scoreless innings before giving way to freshman Cambria Salmon in the bottom of the seventh.
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According to Texas coach Mike White, getting an early lead proved critical after splitting the first two games of the series Friday.
“What we talked about this morning was trying to find a way to get ahead early in the game, because we are confident in Teagan being out there and her abilities to limit opposing offenses,” White said.
Henry said the quick start gave the team a needed jolt, especially “knowing the last couple of days that we haven’t been playing with the same energy or going up to bat with the same energy as games past.”
“Today was about executing early and picking our pitches, while being pretty aggressive at the plate,” she said.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas softball: No. 1 Longhorns beat Mississippi State, claim first place in SEC race
Reporting by Thomas Jones, Austin American-Statesman / Austin American-Statesman
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
