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No. 1 Texas takes two from Iowa State, rings up 20th Big 12 win of season
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AUSTIN (KXAN) — No. 1 Texas made easy work of Iowa State in a Saturday doubleheader at McCombs Field, outscoring the Cyclones 17-1 to win a pair and extend their winning streak to 13 games.
The Longhorns won both games in five innings via the 8-run mercy rule, claiming the opening game 8-0 and the finale 9-1. The teams played two games Saturday instead of finishing the series Sunday because of the potential for storms in Austin.
Reese Atwood put her name in the Texas record books with a 2-run home run in the fourth inning of the opener. The blast put her over the mark for most RBIs in a single season, giving her 68 to move past Lindsey Stephens and Taylor Thom's mark of 66. She drove in two more runs in the second game to end the day with 70, finishing the doubleheader 4 for 4 with two homers and four RBIs.
Atwood is one home run away from tying the program's home run record of 18 set by Taylor Hoagland in 2012.
"What a great accomplishment that was for Reese; to set a record with still a bunch of games to go," Longhorns head coach Mike White said. "I know she had some struggles there through the middle of the season, but she’s getting hot right now and the right time."
In the first game, the Longhorns put it away with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Bella Dayton smacked a 2-run double, Mia Scott plated one with a sacrifice fly and Viviana Martinez ended it with an RBI double.
Ashton Maloney had three hits from the leadoff spot and Kayden Henry had two hits for the Longhorns. Citlaly Gutierrez pitched all five innings and allowed two hits with two strikeouts.
Texas scored seven runs in the first two innings of the second game, capped by Atwood's solo home in the second. Katie Stewart blasted a 2-run home run in the fourth to give Texas a 9-0 lead and she finished the game with three hits and three RBIs. Mia Scott also had three hits while Dayton and Atwood had two each. Texas had 23 hits across both games.
Mac Morgan allowed a run on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts, pitching all five innings.
Texas (42-6, 20-4 Big 12) hits the road for its last Big 12 Conference series to take on Texas Tech starting Friday.