· Texas box score
· Houston box score
| Sophomore Caitlyn Ivy launched her first two home runs of the year on Friday. |
HOUSTON – Sophomore Caitlyn Ivy went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, but Alexis Bennett’s solo blast in the sixth inning helped lift No. 15 Texas to a 3-2 victory over UTSA on day-one action of the Marriott Houston Invitational at Cougar Stadium.
Ivy’s first home run of the season helped give the Roadrunners (2-4) a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning. She drove in sophomore Ashley Kappler, who reached with a two-out single to center field with her sixth career round-tripper.
The Longhorns (8-0) quickly answered Ivy’s blast with a two-run shot of their own in the bottom of the third. Courtney Craig reached on a one-out , ground-ball single up the middle of the infield and scored on a home run to left center by Loryn Johnson.
Texas took the lead for good in the sixth, as Bennett led off with a solo shot to center to give the Longhorns a 3-2 advantage.
Blaire Luna, who came on in relief of Erin Tresselt, picked up the win after tossing a perfect seventh frame by finishing off three hitless and scoreless innings with her sixth strikeout.
Seniors Rudi Cantu and Kelly Cato and junior Danye Holmes joined Ivy and Kappler in the hit column with one apiece, as UTSA scratched out six base knocks.
Meanwhile, Holmes (0-2) held the Longhorns to three runs on four hits in the complete-game loss.
Ivy hit her second home run of the day and Cantu collected two more hits, but it was not enough in a 13-3 loss to Houston in late-night action.
UTSA returns to the diamond on Saturday with two more games against No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette (11 a.m.) and Purdue (3 p.m.).