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bigrobdsp · March 9, 2006

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas softball team’s pitching staff held the Mean Green to just two hits while the offense drove in 14 runs as the second-ranked Longhorns swept North Texas, 5-0 and 9-1 (5 inn.), at McCombs Field on Tuesday night. The top four hitters in UT’s order went a combined 11-for-23 and drove in 10 runs, while Cat Osterman threw a no-hitter in the first game, and Meagan Denny followed with a two-hitter in the night cap.

Texas (26-1) pushed its nation’s-best winning streak to 24 games, while North Texas (9-10) snapped its two-game winning streak. UT won all four meetings between the two schools in the series history.

Shannon Thomas went a team-best 4-for-7 and drove in three, collecting two doubles and one triple on the night. She now has six triples on the season, matching the UT school record also held by Jodi Reeves and Nicki Cockrell. Thomas also leads the Big 12 Conference in triples.

Desiree Williams went 3-for-7 with four RBI, adding a double and her ninth home run of the year in the first game. Her season total stands at nine, one shy of the single-season record, also shared by Reeves and Cockrell. Williams also pushed her hitting streak to 14 games with hits in both contests.

Megan Willis added a 3-for-5 performance, driving in one run in each game, while Tina Boutelle went 1-for-4, but scored three runs while drawing three walks. Held hitless in the second game, Boutelle saw her hitting streak halted at 10 games.

Osterman, who threw 16 strikeouts in the first game, recorded her fourth no-hitter of the season and 19th of her career. She struck out the Mean Green lineup the first time through the order.

Denny won her 10th decision in a row, earning the victory in the run-rule shortened nightcap, allowing one run with six strikeouts and one walk.

Kelei Walker and Danielle Rupp recorded North Texas’ only hits on the night, while Katya Muller collected an RBI on a groundout in the nightcap.

The Longhorns return to action on Thursday night when they travel down I-35 to Texas State, where they are slated to play a single game at Bobcat Field, beginning at 6 p.m.

Game 1: No. 2 Texas 5, North Texas 0

UT posted all five runs in the third inning, batting around the order. Crystal Saenz had a lead-off double and MicKayla Padilla added a single up the middle. Boutelle snaked a single through the right side, scoring Saenz for the 1-0 lead. Thomas followed with a double – the first of her career – that plated Padilla and Boutelle. Williams cleared the bases with her two-run homer, her ninth of the season, pushing the score to 5-0. Osterman ran her record to 15-0 with her 19th career no-hitter and the fourth of the season. She collected 16 strikeouts, while hitting two batters. UNT’s Kristina Fowler (7-4) took the loss, allowing five runs – all earned – on seven hits while striking out three and walking two.

Game 2: No. 2 Texas 9, North Texas 1 (5 inn.)

After a scoreless first inning, UT put single runs up in the second and third innings to go ahead 2-0. Jaclyn Daniels had an RBI single that plated Chez Sievers in the second, and Willis’ RBI single up the middle scored Thomas, who led off the third inning with a triple. UT jumped on Mean Green starter Jessica Smith for three runs in the fourth, pushing the lead to 5-0. Daniels, who went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, and Boutelle had back-to-back walks to open the frame. Thomas’ double cleared the bases, scoring Daniels and allowing Boutelle to come home on a throwing error by North Texas. Two batters later, Willis singled in Thomas for the 5-0 advantage. After the Mean Green pushed a run across in the top of the fifth, the Longhorns scored four in the fifth, sending Smith from the game, and earning the run-rule victory. Daniels had a one-out single, and Boutelle drew her second walk in as many innings to put runners at first and second. Thomas loaded the bases when she reached on an infield fielding error. Williams stepped up and sent a single to center field, scoring Daniels and Boutelle, and after a Willis walk loaded the bases, Rachael Cook ended the game with a two-RBI single to right center that scored Thomas and Williams. Denny (11-1) won her 10th straight decision, allowing one run on two hits while striking out six and walking one. Smith (2-6) took the loss, surrendering nine runs (seven earned) on 10 hits in 4.1 innings while striking out two and walking seven. Anne Morton entered in the fifth, and faced Cook, who ended the game.