Softball Preview: Houston [March 19, 2014]

TEXAS (18-14, 0-0) vs. HOUSTON (12-10, 0-0)

Non-conference game

March 19, 2014

Red & Charline McCombs Field - Austin, Texas

GAMEDAY QUICK FACTS

• TELEVISION: All three games will be televised nationally by Longhorn Network. Carter Blackburn (pxp) and Cat Osterman (analyst) will have the call.

• RADIO: Terry Lewis will call the action for the internet radio broadcast on www.TexasSports.com.

TEXAS VS. HOUSTON

Wednesday's matchup will be the 24th time the two teams have met.
The meeting will also be the second of two games between the two Texas schools this season, as they met in Fullerton at the Judi Garman Classic on March 6, where UT defeated UH, 5-1.
Texas holds a 19-4 edge in the all-time series.
The Longhorns have won three of the last four meetings by the run-rule, including last season's 15-0 win in Houston on Feb. 16. Senior Taylor Thom became the fourth player in NCAA history to hit two grand slams in a game.

DOMINATE THE STATE

Since beginning varsity competition in 1997, UT has posted a 279-66-1 mark (.807 winning percentage) versus foes from Texas, including a 5-1 record in such games during the 2014 campaign.

HOME SWEET HOME

The Longhorns close out a four-game homestand at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Wednesday evening. UT is coming off its first series win of the season, as it took the front and backend of a three-game set against Iowa. Texas has won nine of its last 11 games at McCombs Field, where it is 9-5 this season.

LAST TUNE-UP

Wednesday's game marks UT's final non-conference game before opening Big 12 Conference play this weekend when the team travels to Baylor for a two-game series on Saturday and Sunday. Texas still has three non-league games remaining on its slate.

ENEMIES OF THE STATE

Including Wednesday's game against Houston, Texas' next eight games are all against in-state foes. The Longhorns will visit Baylor in Waco this weekend before returning to host Texas A&M- Corpus Christi next Wednesday and welcoming Texas Tech for the first Big 12 three-game series at McCombs Field this season.

SETTING THE TONE

Since being etched in as Texas' 1-2-3 hitters on the lineup card against Cal Poly on Feb. 20, Taylor Thom, Brejae Washington and Lindsey Stephens are hitting a combined .461 (83-for-180) and have provided 43 of the team's 100 RBIs during that span. Washington and Stephens are tied for second in the Big 12 with 44 hits.

GETTING ON

Sophomore Lindsey Stephens holds the program's second-longest streak of games reaching base, which currently stands at 33-consecutive games dating back to the final game of last season. Senior Brejae Washington also carries a streak of reaching base in 23-straight games.

SLUGGING STEPHENS

The sophomore power hitter is slugging a team-best .846 this season. Stephens is currently ranked in five offensive categories in the Big 12 this season, including first in home runs (10), RBIs (40) and total bases (85).

SOPHOMORES EMERGE

Over Texas' last five games, the sophomore class has carried a bulk of the offense for the Longhorns. Below is a look at how UT's second-year players have produced in comparison to the rest of the team.

SOPHOMORES_____________ STAT___________ REST OF TEAM

.449______________ Batting Avg._____________ .298

49__________________ At-bats________________ 87

22___________________ Hits_________________ 26

10___________________ Runs_________________ 20

14___________________ RBIs_________________ 14

8___________________ Walks________________ 10

STEADILY IMPROVING

After an 8-8 start through its first 16 games, Texas is 10-6 over the last 16 contests it has played. Here's a look at how UT has improved since the first half of the season.

1ST HALF (16 GMS)________ STAT___________ 2ND HALF (16 GMS)

.319______________ Batting Avg._______________ .375

145__________________ Hits___________________ 162

.466_______________ Slugging %________________ .523

.398_______________ On Base %______________ __ .443

.864__________________ OPS___________________ .966

.217____________ Opp. Batting Avg._____________ .209

78_______________ Strikeouts________________ 99

THE 1-2 PUNCH: Junior RHP Gabby Smith and freshman LHP Tiarra Davis have emerged as the routine starting pitchers for the Longhorns. Either Smith or Davis has started for UT in each of the last 19 games. During that stretch, the two have combined for a 12-6 record with 106 strikeouts over 110.0 innings of work.

GOING THE DISTANCE

Davis leads the pitching staff with 10 complete games. She worked all seven innings in Monday night's 3-0 series clincher over Iowa, allowing her to pick up her first career shutout. The first-year southpaw has thrown seven-straight complete games entering Wednesday.

DAVIS DAZZLES IN THE CIRCLE

Freshman Tiarra Davis is UT's first lefthanded pitcher in the circle since three-time National Player of the Year Cat Osterman (2002-06). Through her first 20 appearances in the circle, Davis is 7-7 on the season with an ERA of 2.36 Take a look at how the rookie southpaw has progressed over her first 12 starts.

DAVIS' IMPROVEMENT

STAT_____ First 4 Starts____ NEXT 4 STARTS _____ LAST 4 STARTS

Record________ 0-4__________ ___3-1_________________ 3-1

ERA___________ 3.45_____________ 2.33_____________ 1.40

CG____________3________________3__________________ 4

Strikeouts______ 22_______________ 17____________________ 28

Shutouts________ 0________________ 0_____________________ 1

Opp. Avg._____ .193_____________ .155__________________ .181

STATS OF NOTE:

Texas is 14-0 when scoring six or more runs and is 14-0 when holding opponents to two runs or less.
Brejae Washington ranks second among the NCAA active career leaders in stolen bases (118) and triples (17).
Washington started the season with six runs through the first eight games. Since then, she has had 23 runs over the last 24 games.
Washington has not been caught stealing since May 4, 2013 at Oklahoma State.
Taylor Thom has 155 career RBIs. One more for Thom gives her sole possession of the program record.
Texas entered the week with a .346 team batting average, which is fifth-best in the nation and is ranked first in the Big 12.
UT is 10-4 when the opponent commits one error and is 8-11 when the opponent commits 0 or 2+ errors.

NEXT UP FOR UT

The Longhorns will begin Big 12 Conference play when it visits Waco for a two-game set against No. 12/12 Baylor on Saturday and Sunday.

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics

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