AUSTIN, Texas – Off to its best 19-game start to a season since 2013, ninth-ranked Texas backed its top 10 ranking in taking both games of a doubleheader over Longwood Wednesday evening at McCombs Field.

The Longhorns earned an 8-0 run-rule victory in game one of the day, before scoring seven runs in the fourth inning en route to a 9-1 decision in the nightcap.

It marks the first time that Longwood (11-7) has faced a top 10 opponent in the regular season since the 2017 season against No. 10 UCLA. Texas (18-3), which is among the top 10 in each of the three major polls, has won 11 of its last 13 games with five of those victories coming against teams inside the top 25 or receiving votes.

Leah Powell led the Lancers at the plate with a pair of hits on the day, going 2-for-2 with a triple in the opening game.

After wrapping up its Texas swing, the Lancers return to their home field Wednesday, March 13 to host East Carolina in a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. from
Lancer Field. That doubleheader will mark the final test before Longwood begins its quest for a fifth Big South crown in seven seasons, beginning March 15-16 at Wintrhop in Rock Hill, S.C.

Game 1: Four-Run Fourth Fuels No. 9 Texas Past Longwood

Reagan Hathaway and Janae Jefferson combined to go 5-of-6 at the top of the Texas order and Brooke Bolinger struck out 11 Lancers in a three-hit shutout, as the ninth-ranked Longhorns posted a 8-0 win over Longwood.

Bolinger matched her career-high with 11 strikeouts, as the Longhorns extended their streak to 10 wins in their past 12 games with five of those wins coming against teams either ranked among the top 25 or receiving votes.

Hathaway and Jefferson combined for five of 13 hits for the Longhorns, while Mary Iakopo blasted her third home run of the season with a three-run shot in the four-run fourth inning. Bekah Alcozar and Miranda Elish also added a pair of hits each for the Longhorns.

For Bolinger (4-2), she walked one batter in her five innings of work, facing 20 batters and throwing 85 pitches, 58 for strikes.

Leah Powell had two of Longwood's three hits of the game, including a triple. Karleigh Donovan also added a single.

Sydney Backstrom went the distance in the circle, allowing eight runs on 13 hits and one walk while striking out a pair.

Game 2: O'Leary's No-Hitter Hands No. 9 Longhorns 9-1 Win Over Lancers

Shealyn O'Leary tossed a complete-game no-hitter to lead Texas to a 9-1 win over Longwood in five innings.

Alexis Wayland reached on a fielding error to leadoff the game, advanced to second on a Jordan Clark sacrifice bunt and scored on a Kaylynn 'Bug' Batten RBI groundout. After that, O'Leary shut the door on the Lancers, retiring a total of 12 in a row before a Kasey Carr walk.

O'Leary (6-0) faced 18 batters throughout and added a pair of strikeouts in winning her sixth consecutive start, retiring eight Lancers via a ground ball.
The performance for O'Leary extends a streak of not allowing an earned run over her last 35.2 innings of work.

Janae Jefferson had her second multi-hit game of the day, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Her fourth inning, bases loaded double into right center broke open a 1-1 game, clearing the bases as part of a seven-run inning in which the Longhorns batted around the lineup.

Reagan Hathaway also added a pair of hits while Ki'Audra Hayter went 2-for-3 with the walk-off triple in the fifth inning.

Sydney Gay (6-4) took the loss, allowing eight runs on 10 hits and three walks while throwing 83 pitches, 51 for strikes.