No. 1 Texas Softball Drops First Conference Series

Sophomore Kayden Henry seemed to have scored the tying run, but a challenge from Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly overturned the play as it was determined that Henry left first base early.

“It was really just a game of inches," head coach Mike White said. "You know, Mac (Morgan) made one mistake the whole afternoon and then we nearly had a runner on third with one out there in the fifth looking to tie the game, but Kayden got called for leaving first base early, so that really changed the wave of momentum in their favor. We made some outstanding plays throughout the game. We turned a couple double plays and made some nice catches, so we did do some good things today that we want to build on tomorrow.”

The Longhorns finished the fourth inning with one run, three runners left on base.

The Lady Vols scored the winning run at the top of the seventh, as Katie Taylor made it to the home plate on a Gabby Leach ball.

“Great pitching beats great hitting,” White said. “Always has in this game and when you face a pitcher like that it’s tough. … Unfortunately, we couldn’t quite get the right break”

On Sunday, Texas looked to close the series and maintain its undefeated series streak, but once again Tennessee started putting up scores early.

In the top of the first, Kinsey Fiedler put the Vols on the board with a run off Sophia Nugent's ball. Texas quickly came back offensively, tying the game at 1-1- with an Ashton Maloney run in the bottom of the inning.

Taylor Pannell added another run for Tennessee in the top of the third, and from then on, it was all Vols. Tennessee scored two more, Fiedler with her second one in the fifth and third in the seventh.

Texas will stay in Austin for another week, facing No. 5 LSU at Red & Charline McCombs Field in a Thursday afternoon first pitch.