Hoagland, Ceo lead sixth-ranked Texas to easy victory against Stephen F. Austin

Hoagland

AUSTIN, Texas — Senior Taylor Hoagland drove in three runs and freshman Stephanie Ceo scored twice and added a pair of hits to lead Texas to a 6-0 win Wednesday against Stephen F. Austin.

The Longhorns improve to 6-0 this season.

Freshman Holly Kern threw her first career shutout and improved to 2-0 on the season as she scattered five hits and walked one while striking out three. The Ladyjacks’ Carlie Thomas (2-1) suffered the loss, throwing five innings and allowing 10 hits and five earned runs.

Stephen F. Austin put a pair of runners on base in the top of the first with an Alisa Hamilton single and Elizabeth Arana hit by pitch, but Kern got out of trouble with a strikeout looking and foul out.

The Longhorns jumped out to a three-run lead with a three-hit bottom of the second inning. Junior Taylor Thom started the frame with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, but was thrown out at the plate on a Ceo fielder’s choice. After a walk to junior Mandy Ogle, sophomore Gabby Smith kept the inning alive with a single through the left side that plated Ceo. Hoagland followed with a two-RBI single that scored Ogle and Smith for the three-run advantage.

Stephen F. Austin stranded another runner in the top of the fourth. Rylie Chappell singled up the middle, but pinch runner Kaneisha Gray was left on second after a sacrifice bunt, pop out and groundout.

In the bottom of the fourth, Texas made it a 4-0 advantage as Ceo led off with a triple and scored on a Hoagland two-out single through the left side.

The Longhorns scored their final two runs in the bottom of the fifth. After senior Kim Bruins led off with a single, freshman Lindsey Stephens recorded her first career hit. A sacrifice fly from Thom brought in pinch runner Taylor King, who ran for Bruins, and Stephens scored on a Thomas wild pitch.

Kern sealed the shutout as she retired the final six batters she faced, and eight of the last nine.