The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas State
Softball Preview: Texas State [April 2, 2014]
04.01.2014 | Softball
The Longhorns return from week-long break to host Texas State on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. on Longhorn Network.
TEXAS (20-15, 1-0) vs. TEXAS STATE (19-18, 2-4)
Non-conference game
April 2, 2014
Red & Charline McCombs Field - Austin, Texas
GAMEDAY QUICK FACTS
• TELEVISION: The game will be televised nationally on Longhorn Network. Alex Loebb (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.
Game Notes | Listen (internet audio) | Live Stats | Media Stats | Twitter | Buy Tickets
RECHARGED
After playing their first 35 games in 48 days, the Longhorns have had a one-week layoff since defeating Texas A&M - Corpus Christi last Wednesday. The seven-day gap was UT's longest break in between games this season.
RECENT SUCCESS VS. TEXAS STATE
The Longhorns are 31-9 in 40 all-time meetings against the Texas State Bobcats. UT has won the last eight meetings entering Wednesday's meeting, while shutting out the Bobcats in each of the last five head-to-head contests. Texas has outscored its in-state I-35 rival, 28-0 over those five games.
DOMINATE THE STATE
Since beginning varsity competition in 1997, UT has posted a 281-67-1 mark (.806 winning percentage) versus foes from Texas, including a 7-2 record in such games during the 2014 campaign.
AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
In the latest NCAA statistical rankings, Texas holds the fifth-highest batting average this season with its .344 clip. Senior Brejae Washington is ranked third in the nation in sacrifice flies (4) and eighth in batting average (.476) while sophomore Lindsey Stephens is ranked eighth in the country in triples (4). Freshman Tiarra Davis' 3.93 hits allowed per seven innings in ranked 19th-best in the land.
ENEMIES OF THE STATE
Including last week's games against Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, Texas is in the middle of playing seven straight games against in-state foes. After hosting Texas State on Wednesday, the Longhorns will welcome Texas Tech for their 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 .451 (93-for-206) and have provided 48 of the team's 116 RBIs during that span.
GETTING ON
Sophomore Lindsey Stephens holds the program's second-longest streak of games reaching base, which currently stands at 36-consecutive games dating back to the final game of last season. Senior Brejae Washington also carries a streak of reaching base in 26-straight games, which is the fourth-longest in school history.
SLUGGING STEPHENS
Stephens is currently ranked in eight offensive categories in the Big 12 this season, including first in triples (4), RBIs (43) and total bases (92). She is also tied for the league lead in home runs with 10.
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 9-7 with a 2.18 ERA through 23 appearances. Already, she has 11 complete games and has tossed three one-hitters, including her first shutout on March 17 against Iowa. Opposing teams are hitting just .165 against the southpaw, which is the third-lowest in the Big 12.
ROAD SUCCESS
Texas holds the best record in the nation in true road games with a 6-0 mark. The Longhorns are one of only two teams to be undefeated through at least five true road contests (South Alabama is 5-0). Four of UT's six road wins have been against nationally ranked opponents.
AN EARLY LOOK AT THE RPI
In the latest Rating Percentage Index (RPI) release of the season, Texas is ranked No. 34 in the country. The RPI is a quantity used to rank teams based upon a team's wins and losses and its strength of schedule.
RECORD BREAKERS
As seniors Taylor Thom and Brejae Washington are closing out their careers at Texas, they are leaving their imprint on the program by overtaking several of the school's all-time records. Washington, who has held the school's record for stolen bases since last season, is one sacrifice hit away from the most all-time. She is also 15 hits away from breaking the UT record for hits in a career. Thom, who set the program record for RBIs in a Texas career, is only seven doubles away from having the most ever while playing on the Forty Acres.
STATS OF NOTE:
- Texas is 15-0 when scoring six or more runs and is 16-0 when holding opponents to two runs or less.
- Washington started the season with six runs through the first eight games. Since then, she has had 25 runs over the last 27 games.
- Washington has not been caught stealing since May 4, 2013 at Oklahoma State.
- Texas entered the week with a .344 team batting average, which is fifth-best in the nation and is ranked first in the Big 12.
- UT is 11-5 when the opponent commits one error and is 9-11 when the opponent commits 0 or 2+ errors.
QUOTABLE
- Brejae Washington on her speed on the basepaths: "Speed always kills. I always tell [my teammates], as soon as I get on base, find me a gap and I promise you I'll score. I think that's become a big threat because the pitchers don't really know how to pitch to our next batter because they know if one of our hitters gets a big hit, that's going to score a run."
- Assistant coach Corrie Hill on Brejae Washington: "She brings that outstanding speed. There's only a handful of people that are that fast and have the softball skills to go with it. She has Olympic softball speed, is an excellent slider and an excellent reader on the basepaths."
NEXT UP FOR UT
The Longhorns will open up a three-game Big 12 Conference series against Texas Tech on Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. at McCombs Field. All three games will be broadcasted nationally on Longhorn Network.
