Nicholls hangs tough but unable to overcome big first inning by Texas in 10-3 loss to Longhorns

It didn’t take the Texas Longhorns to show why they are the No. 1 team in college softball.

Texas came out swinging, sending 11 batters to the plate in the first inning, scoring seven runs on eight hits to take a 7-0 lead against Nicholls on Thursday night in Austin.

The Colonels hung around but were never able to overtime the Longhorns’ whopping start, falling to Texas 10-3.

Nicholls fell to 25-22 with the loss, while Texas moved its record to 39-6.

By the time the game ended, the Longhorns pounded out a total of 15 hits.

Ashton Maloney started the bottom of the first inning with a leadoff single to left field off of Nicholls starter Averi Paden. Maloney moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mia Scott.

A double to left by Viviana Martinez scored Maloney for the first run of the game, with Martinez taking second base on the throw back to the infield.

After a Reece Atwood single put runners on the corners, Katie Stewart connected with a home run to left field, making it 4-0.

A base hit by Alyssia Washington and a bunt single by Kayden Henry sandwiched a foul out by Katie Cimusz.

Bella Dayton’s triple scored two more runs to make it 6-0.

Maloney, who scored the inning’s first run, drove in the final run of the frame with a single up the middle to bring in Dayton to give the Longhorns a 7-0 lead.

Just when it looked like Nicholls might be on its way to a quick mercy-rule game after five innings, the Lady Colonels responded with two runs in the top of the fourth inning.

Reagan Heflin started things off with a double to right field. Erin Krause grounded out, advancing Heflin to third base. A single to center field by Alexa Poche got Nicholls on the board.

A double by Abby Anderson put runners on third and second with one out. After Gabby Higbee fouled out, Molly VandenBout reached base on an error, allowing Poche to score to make it 7-2.

Texas got one of the runs back in the bottom half of the inning on a run-scoring double by Martinez.

Nicholls cut the deficit again, this time on a sacrifice fly by Heflin in the fifth inning to make the score 8-3.

Texas again answered with a run in the bottom of the inning.

With two outs and runners on the corners, a single by Maloney drove in a run to make it 9-3. After the hit on the play, Maloney was caught in a rundown to end the inning.

A two-out, run-scoring double by Stewart in the sixth inning made the final 10-3.

Paden (7-4) suffered the loss, allowing eight runs on 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Estelle Czech picked up the win. She allowed two runs, one of which was earned, on four hits in four innings.

Sophia Simpson earned her second save of the season, allowing one run on one hit and one walk, while striking out two in three innings.