The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Baylor
Softball Preview: at No. 12/12 Baylor [March 22-23, 2014]
03.21.2014 | Softball
The Longhorns open Big 12 Conference play on the road with in-state rival Baylor on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.
TEXAS (18-15, 0-0) at No. 12/12 BAYLOR (23-4, 0-0)
Big 12 Conference game
March 22-23, 2014
Getterman Stadium - Waco, Texas
GAMEDAY QUICK FACTS
• TELEVISION: FOX Sports Southwest will carry Saturday's game. John Morris (PxP) and Megan Turk (analyst) will have the call. Sunday night's game will be broadcasted nationally on ESPNU. Pam Ward (PxP) and Jessica Mendoza (analyst) will have the call.
• RADIO: Terry Lewis will call the action for the internet radio broadcast on www.TexasSports.com.
Game Notes | Listen (internet audio) | Live Stats | Twitter
TEXAS VS. No. 12/12 BAYLOR
- The Longhorns hold a 24-12 advantage in 36-game head-to-head series with the Lady Bears. UT has won the last four meetings between the clubs.
- Texas swept the last year's season series, taking both ends of a home-and-home from March 24-25, 2013 and then winning 2-1 on the final day of the season in nine innings in Austin.
DOMINATE THE STATE
Since beginning varsity competition in 1997, UT has posted a 279-67-1 mark (.805 winning percentage) versus foes from Texas, including a 5-2 record in such games during the 2014 campaign.
The Beginning Of Big 12 Conference Play
This weekend's two games against Baylor marks the beginning of Big 12 Conference play for the Longhorns. It is the second time UT has opened league play against the Bears. A year ago, the Longhorns went 2-0 during the first two games of Big 12 action with a pair of wins against Baylor on March 23 and 24. Texas has started conference play 2-0 in 10 of the last 17 years. A closer look at UT's first two Big 12 results since 2008:
TEXAS IN BIG 12 OPENERS
Texas has won its last six league openers and is 12-5 all-time in those games.
UT IN BIG 12 ROAD OPENERS
For the third-straight season, Texas is beginning the Big 12 portion of its schedule on the road. The Longhorns have won their last five Big 12 road openers. Since becoming a Division I program and joining the conference in 1997, UT is 10-7 when it plays its first league game away from Austin.
ENEMIES OF THE STATE
Including Wednesday's game against Houston, Texas is in the middle of playing eight games against in-state foes. After visiting Baylor in Waco this weekend, UT will return home to host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi this upcoming Wednesday before welcoming Texas Tech for its 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 .463 (88-for-190) and have provided 47 of the team's 104 RBIs during that span. Entering the week, Washington and Stephens were 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 34-consecutive games dating back to the final game of last season. Senior Brejae Washington also carries a streak of reaching base in 24-straight games.
SOPHOMORE SURGE
Second-year players Stephanie Ceo, Holly Kern, Taylor King, Rachel Scott, Erin Shireman and Stephens are hitting a combined .449 (22-for-49) clip over the last five game, while the rest of the team is hitting .298 during that stretch.
SLUGGING STEPHENS
The sophomore power hitter is slugging a Big 12-best .841 this season. Stephens is currently ranked in seven offensive categories in the Big 12 this season, including first in home runs (10), triples (4), RBIs (42) and total bases (90).
ACE OF THE STAFF
After graduates Blaire Luna and Kim Bruins departed from the program last year, it was unclear who UT's go-to pitcher would be in the 2014 season. Freshman Tiarra Davis, who is the first lefthanded pitcher at Texas since three-time National Player of the Year Cat Osterman, has emerged as the ace for the Longhorns. Davis is 7-7 with a 2.34 ERA through 21 games. Already, she has 10 complete games and has tossed three one-hitters, including her first shutout on March 17 against Iowa. Opposing teams are hitting just .170 against the southpaw, which is the third-lowest in the Big 12.
QUICK FACTS
- 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 24 runs over the last 25 games.
- Washington has not been caught stealing since May 4, 2013 at Oklahoma State.
- 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 10-5 when the opponent commits one error and is 8-11 when the opponent commits 0 or 2+ errors.
Moving Up The Wins Chart
The Longhorns own a .646 winning percentage against Big 12 foes. It is the second-best mark in the league. A closer look at the winning percentages of all current Big 12 Conference members:
Team_____________ Regular-Season Record________ Winning %
Oklahoma_________ 243-79___________________________ .755
Texas_____________ 192-105__________________________ .646
Oklahoma State____ 150-172__________________________ .466
Baylor____________ 138-159-1________________________ .465
Kansas____________ 125-202__________________________ .382
Texas Tech________ 94-226___________________________ .294
Iowa State_________ 73-244___________________________ .227
One Career = At Least One Big 12 Conference Title ...
Texas' Big 12 Conference regular season championship in 2010 gave the senior class its first league title during the student-athletes' four-year careers. It also extended a streak at UT in which every freshman class since 1999 has won at least one Big 12 title during its four years on the Forty Acres. The current senior class is looking to extend the streak by winning its first Big 12 title in 2014.
DAVIS DAZZLES IN THE CIRCLE
Through her first 21 appearances in the circle, freshman Tiarra Davis is 7-7 on the season with an ERA of 2.34 Take a look at how the rookie southpaw has progressed over her first 13 starts.
DAVIS' IMPROVEMENT
STAT_____ First 4 Starts____ NEXT 4 STARTS _____ LAST 5 STARTS
Record________ 0-4__________ ___3-1_________________ 3-1
ERA___________ 3.45_____________ 2.33______________ 2.33
CG_____________3_________________3________________4
Strikeouts______ 22_______________ 17____________________ 37
Shutouts________ 0________________ 0_____________________ 1
Opp. Avg._____ .193_____________ .155__________________ .155
STEADILY IMPROVING
After an 8-8 start through its first 16 games, Texas is 10-7 over the last 17 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 (17 GMS)
.319______________ Batting Avg._____________ .369
145__________________ Hits_________________ 171
.466_______________ Slugging %______________ .513
.398_______________ On Base %______________ .436
.864__________________ OPS_________________ .951
.217____________ Opp. Batting Avg.___________ .211
78_______________ Strikeouts______________ 106
SOPHOMORES EMERGE
Over Texas' last six 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
.393______________ Batting Avg._____________ .308
24___________________ Hits_________________ 33
10___________________ Runs_________________ 23
16___________________ RBIs_________________ 16
9___________________ Walks________________ 11
KERN CONNECTS
After hitting just .211 last season, sophomore Holly Kern has shown an increase production, as she is hitting .348 in 2014. Below is a comparison of how her production has increased after the first 16 games of the season.
First 16 games___________ STAT___________ last 12 games
.293______________ Batting Avg._____________ .308
8____________________ RBIs_________________ 8
16 (2)___________ Extra-base hits____________ 8 (4)
WASHINGTON IS SURGING
Senior Brejae Washington, who has reached base in each of the last 24 games, has been a consistent hitter for UT in the first half of the season. Coming into the weekend against Baylor, Washington is tied for first in the Big 12 in hits with 47. Her consistency over the last 12 games has made her one of the more dangerous hitters to face in Texas' lineup this season. Below is breakdown of how she stared the season and what she has done over the last 12 contests.
First 21 games___________ STAT___________ last 12 games
.418______________ Batting Avg._____________ .576
4___________________ RBIs_________________ 6
28 (2)________ Hits (Extra-base hits)_________ 19 (4)
ONE IS NOT ENOUGHH
Of sophomore Lindsey Stephens' 45 hits, 47 percent have been for extra bases (seven doubles, four triples and 10 home runs). To put it in perspective, former All-American Taylor Hoagland is UT's all-time leader in slugging percentage (.708). During her four-year (2009-12) career, 43 percent of her hits were for extra bases, including 58 home runs.
MILESTONE WATCH
Upcoming Career Milestones
- 1 run away from tying for 2nd all-time in runs scored at UT. (currently has 165)
- 2 hits away from tying for 4th all-time for most hits at Texas. (currently has 228)
- Currently one sacrifice hit away from sole possession of 1st all-time in sacrifice hits at UT(currently has 28)
- 2 stolen bases away from tying for 5th all-time in stolen bases (currently has 58)
- 1 hit away from T-6th all-time in hits (currently has 217)
Upcoming Season Milestones
- 1 RBI away from tying for 9th, 2 from tying for 6th, 3 from tying for 5th, 4 from tying for 4th and 8 from tying for 3rd for RBIs in a single season
- Currently has four triples, which is tied for 7th in a single season at Texas. (Washington is 1st all-time. She had 7 in 2013)
- 1 stolen base away from cracking the single season stolen bases top 10 all four seasons of her career. She already holds the first, third, and fifth all-time spots with 38, 32, and 27 stolen bases, respectively. Currently has 21 steals.
