Austin, Texas - The Iona College softball team fell in its first contest of the NCAA Regionals. Held to one hit, the Gaels were defeated by the University of Texas by the score of 6-0.
Texas got on the board in the bottom of the second inning with a one-out solo home run by senior Loryn Johnson down the left field line. In the bottom of the third, the Longhorns used back-to-back solo homers from sophomore Courtney Craig and freshman Taylor Hoagland to extend their cushion to 3-0.
Texas closed out the scoring in the bottom of the fifth with three additional runs. Hoagland opened the frame with a double to left center, and Tallie Thrasher followed with a walk. Hoagland then came home on a passed ball to give the Horns a 4-0 lead. With Kori Cook (entered the game for Thrasher as a pinch-runner) at third after the passed ball, sophomore Nadia Taylor then launched a line drive over the wall in left center for her ninth home run of the season to extend the advantage to 6-0.
Iona's lone hit came on a two-out single to right field by sophomore 3B Chelsea Sheehan in the bottom of the third inning. The only other Iona batter to reach base was freshman SS Marisa Newman, who led off the top of the seventh with a walk.
Sophomore Sarah Jackson (18-7) took the loss for the Gaels, allowing five runs on six hits while striking out three and walking three in 4.0 innings of work. Junior Alyssa Maiese pitched the final two frames for Iona, surrendering one run on two hits and striking out two.
Iona's lone hit came on a two-out single to right field by sophomore 3B Chelsea Sheehan in the bottom of the third inning. The only other Iona batter to reach base was freshman SS Marisa Newman, who led off the top of the seventh with a walk.
Blaire Luna, the Big 12 Conference Pitcher and Freshman of the Year, improved to 30-8 on the season with her performance, adding 14 strikeouts against just the one walk.
Texas, the No. 7 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, improved to 43-13 overall, while Iona fell to 28-25. Iona will play in an elimination game on Friday at 5 p.m. Central against East Carolina. BYU posted a 1-0 win against East Carolina in action earlier on Thursday. Texas advances to Friday's winner's bracket game at 2:30 p.m. Central against BYU. The Cougars posted a 1-0 win against East Carolina in action earlier on Thursday.