The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas State
Softball Preview: at Texas State [April 23, 2014]
04.22.2014 | Softball
The Longhorns head to San Marcos to close out non-conference play on Wednesday night at 6:00 p.m.
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TEXAS (27-18, 7-3) at Texas State (22-26, 5-10)
Non-conference play
April 23, 2014
Bobcat Softball Stadium – San Marcos, Texas
GAMEDAY QUICK FACTS
• WEBCAST: The game will be web streamed on txstatebobcats.com.
• RADIO: Terry Lewis will call the action for the internet radio broadcast on www.TexasSports.com.
RECENT SUCCESS VS. TEXAS STATE
The Longhorns are 32-9 in 41 all-time meetings against the Texas State Bobcats. UT has won the last nine meetings entering Wednesday's game, including a 19-7 win over the Bobcats on April 2. Texas has shut out the Texas State in five of the last six head-to-head contests and has outscored its in-state I-35 rival, 47-7 over those six games.
DOMINATE THE STATE
Since beginning varsity competition in 1997, UT has posted a 284-68-1 mark (.806 winning percentage) versus foes from Texas, including an 10-3 record in such games during the 2014 campaign.
END OF NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
Texas will play its final non-conference regular season game on Wednesday at Texas State. So far this season, the Longhorns are 20-15 against non-Big 12 opponents.
STRIKEOUT CANCER GAME
When Texas visits San Marcos Wednesday, Texas State will be holding its annual Strikeout Cancer game. Players will raise awareness by wearing pink uniform accessories. Fans are encouraged to wear pink and to arrive to Bobcat Softball Stadium early for a ceremonial first pitch at 5:55 p.m. The Bobcats are putting together efforts to help raise money for the David Gish Fund, a fund put together to help long-time Texas State Head Athletic Trainer David Gish pay for medical bills as he is currently undergoing treatment for cancer. Gish is scheduled to throw out the first pitch for the Bobcats.
TEXAS TAKES 1-OF-3 IN NORMAN
After taking a 4-1 loss last Thursday in the series opener against No. 16/12 Oklahoma, the Longhorns responded with a 9-0 run rule win in six innings over the Sooners the next night before having the favor returned by OU in the form of an 8-0 setback in five innings on Saturday. UT's win in the series marked the first time OU lost by at least eight runs on its home field since March 10, 1994. It was also the first time the Sooners were run-ruled in over five years (March 28, 2009) when Texas handed them a 15-6 defeat in Austin.
THREE SEEING 400
In its 18-year history, Texas has had five seasons in which a player finished the year batting .400 or higher. Currently, the Longhorns have three players hitting over .400 (Brejae Washington- .448; Lindsey Stephens - .406; Taylor Thom - .404). UT has never had two players bat .400 or higher in the same season.
WASHINGTON CLOSING IN ON HITS RECORD
With 241 career hits under her belt, senior Brejae Washington is four away from tying Lexy Bennett for the most in Texas Softball history. Five more will give her sole possession of the school's all-time record.
THOM'S TORRID TREND
Over the last 10 games, Thom has raised her cumulative batting average by 47 points. The fourth-year shortstop is hitting .615 (16-for-26) with six home runs, 17 runs scored and 18 RBIs during that stretch.
SCORING IN BUNCHES
- From April 2 to April 14, the Longhorns' potent offense produced 74 runs (10.6 per game) on 80 hits during a seven-game span.
- During that stretch, the team tallied 17 or more runs in a game three times. Prior to this season, UT had only two games in program history in which it tallied at least 17.
- Against Texas State (April 2), the Horns scored 19, which marked the second-most in school history. UT used 15 hits, including a season-high four home runs, to put up its largest run total since Feb. 9, 2012 when it tallied 23 in its 2012 season opener against Cal State Fullerton.
- The 26 runs (19-7) between Texas and Texas State was the most combined runs in a game in which the Longhorns were involved in.
- Five games later in the series opener at Iowa State (April 11), Texas matched its season-high run total with 19 .
- Texas continued its barrage the next day in the series finale against Iowa State by putting up 17 runs, highlighted by a 9-run fourth inning, which tied the program record for runs in an inning.
Texas' Last 10 Games
Runs__________________ 84
Hits___________________ 99
Walks_________________ 38
Extra-base hits_________ 35
RBIs___________________ 74
Batting Avg.___________ .376
Slugging %____________ .658
On base %____________ .470
TABLE SETTERS
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 .450 (131-for-265) and have provided 80 RBIs and scored 98 runs during that span.
GETTING ON
Sophomore Lindsey Stephens holds the program's second-longest streak of games reaching base, which currently stands at 46-consecutive games dating back to the final game of last season. Earlier this season, senior Brejae Washington held a streak of reaching base in 33-straight games, which is the third-longest in school history.
SLUGGING STEPHENS
Lindsey Stephens is currently ranked in nine offensive categories in the Big 12 this season, including first in home runs (14), triples (4), RBIs (55), total bases (116) and slugging percentage (.823)
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 14-9 with a 2.32 ERA through 33 appearances and 25 starts.
- Already, she has 19 complete games and has tossed three one-hitters and three shutouts.
- Opposing teams are hitting just .192 against the southpaw, which is the second-lowest in the Big 12.
- Davis is 6-2 with 7 complete games and a 2.10 ERA in Big 12 play.
DAVIS DAZZLES IN THE CIRCLE
Through her first 33 appearances in the circle, freshman Tiarra Davis is 14-9 on the season with an ERA of 2.32 Take a look at how the rookie southpaw has progressed over her first 25 starts.
DAVIS' IMPROVEMENT
STAT__________ FIRST 11 STARTS_____ LAST 14 STARTS
Record_____________ 5-6__________________ 8-2
ERA________________ 2.62_______________ 2.02
Strikeouts___________ 58_________________ 63
Shutouts_____________ 0__________________ 3
TUNNING'S BAT TUNES UP
Since starting her Texas career with a .197 batting average through her first 30 games, freshman Devon Tunning is showing signs of becoming the hitter the Texas' coaches foresaw. Over the last 12 games, Tunning is ranked second on the team with a .429 batting average (12-for-28). Tunning has five extra-base hits during that stretch, including two home runs.
TUNNING'S TURNAROUND
STAT_____________________ First 30 Games________ Last 12 Games
Batting Avg.________________ .197___________________ .429
Hits (XBH)_________________ 12 (1)__________________ 12 (5)
RBIs________________________ 5____________________ 7
Runs________________________ 7____________________ 10
HR_________________________ 0____________________ 2
Slugging Pct._______________ .213___________________ .786
On base Pct._______________ .269___________________ .500
ROAD SUCCESS
Texas is 10-2 in true roads games this season. Prior to dropping two in Norman this past weekend, UT was one of two teams in the nation to have an undefeated mark in true road games. Five of UT's 10 road wins have been against nationally ranked opponents.
AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
Texas' .351 batting average is its highest in school history and is the fourth-highest in the nation, behind Michigan (.356), Notre Dame (.355) and Arizona (.354). As a team, the Longhorns are hitting 0.46 triples per game, which leads the nation. Senior Brejae Washington is ranked eighth in the nation in sacrifice flies (5), 15th in batting average (.448) and 20th in on base percentage (.530), while Lindsey Stephens is ranked 10th in the land in RBIs per game (1.22).
A LOOK AT THE RPI
In the latest Rating Percentage Index (RPI) release, Texas is ranked No. 26 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 and is a key factor in determining postseason at-large berths.
NEXT UP FOR UT
The Longhorns will host Oklahoma State for a three-game Big 12 series beginning Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Red & Charline McCombs Field
