SOFTBALL

Texas softball holds off top-ranked Oklahoma, evens their Big 12 series with win

Austin American-Statesman
Texas' Reese Atwood runs to first base during Friday's series-opening loss to Oklahoma at McCombs Field. But Atwood made a big play at the plate as catcher on Saturday as Texas handed Oklahoma a 2-1 loss, snapping the top-ranked Sooners' 40-game conference winning streak.

Texas catcher Reese Atwood had no time to gather herself on Saturday as Oklahoma’s Maya Bland barreled toward home plate. Atwood, a defensive replacement, was forced to move up the line to catch the softball. The path brought her right to Bland at the exact same time.

Somehow, Atwood held onto the ball from a tremendous relay.

After a review confirmed she did not illegally block the plate, Atwood’s remarkable snag sent No. 5 Texas to a wild 2-1 upset of the top-ranked Sooners at McCombs Field, evening their Big 12 series. The Longhorns (30-6, 10-4) snapped OU’s 40-game Big 12 win streak and now have a chance to win the series at 1 p.m. Sunday. 

The Sooners (35-2, 13-1) have not lost a conference regular-season series since 2011. They last lost back-to-back games in February 2020.

To get this chance, nearly everything had to go right for Texas.

That started with sophomore pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez. The right-hander allowed just one run on six hits and one hit batter. She struck out two and threw 95 pitches, 55 for strikes. More importantly, she settled down after OU jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first on a run-scoring single from Tiare Jennings. 

The Longhorns’ offense struck back in the fourth with back-to-back RBI doubles from Viviana Martinez, who was 3-for-3, and Katie Stewart.

Texas also appeared to build a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth, but a two-run hit was wiped out when Victoria Hunter left the base too early after an umpire review.

With the lead just a single run, pressure built for the Longhorns.

But center fielder Kayden Henry dove and caught a low liner to open the seventh. With the tying run on base, she watched a blast from Rylie Boone go over her head. Henry caught it on a hop and immediately fired to Martinez, who delivered the throw to Atwood at the lost possible moment for the win.

It was the best highlight of a night full of defensive gems for the Longhorns, who now find themselves with a chance to get some Red River bragging rights.