No. 1 Texas scores 18 runs in another sweep on season-opening road trip

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Top-ranked Texas picked up two more wins Saturday on its season-opening road trip, beating St. John's 5-0 and Lamar 13-7 at the Lamar University softball complex in Beaumont.

The host Cardinals held a 1-0 lead through three innings, but Katie Stewart blasted a solo home run over the center-field wall in the fourth to tie the game. The floodgates opened after that with Texas scoring two runs in the fifth, three in the sixth and a whopping seven in the final frame to take a 13-1 lead.

Victoria Hunter blasted a 2-run homer in the seventh for the Longhorns as part of the outburst. Reese Atwood smacked a 2-run double and Kayden Henry raced to an RBI triple in the frame, as well. Joley Mitchell hit a solo homer in the sixth.

Lamar didn't go out quietly, scoring six runs in the bottom of the seventh until Mac Morgan came in to close the game down with one out. Citlaly Gutierrez earned the win in the circle without allowing an earned run in four innings. She allowed one hit and struck out two in 14 batters faced. Tegan Kavan relived Gutierrez and struck out five in six batters faced. Sophia Simpson allowed six earned runs on four hits with three walks before Morgan got the final two outs.

Ashton Maloney had three hits while Henry, Atwood, Stewart and Kaydee Bennett each had two for the Longhorns. Texas notched 16 hits and struck out twice against the Cardinals.

Against St. John's, freshman pitcher Cambria Salmon was terrific, allowing one hit with five strikeouts and a walk in five innings for her first collegiate win.

Atwood, Stewart and Mitchell hit doubles and Maloney stole a pair of bases against the Red Storm. Leighann Goode had two hits to pace the offense.

Texas (4-0) completes the third leg of their road trip Sunday in Huntsville, taking on Tulsa at 11:30 a.m. and Sam Houston at 2 p.m.