The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Toledo
No. 24 Softball preview: at the Houston Hilton Plaza Invite [Feb. 18, 2016]
02.18.2016 | Softball
The Longhorns carry a perfect 5-0 record into match-ups against Toledo, Ball State and Houston
Texas Game Notes at the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational Feb. 19-21
No. 24 Texas (5-0) at the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational | Feb. 19-21 | Cougar Softball Stadium, Houston, Texas
Schedule:
Friday, February 19
9 a.m. TEXAS vs. Toledo
11:30 a.m. Ball State vs. TEXAS
Saturday, February 20
10:30 a.m. TEXAS vs. Ball State
Sunday, February 21
11:30 a.m. Toledo vs. TEXAS
2 p.m. TEXAS at Houston – LINK TO WATCH (Subscription Needed)
** Second team listed is the home team
Location: Houston, Texas (Cougar Softball Stadium)
Ticket Information: LINK
Live Stats: Available for Friday and Saturday's games here: LINK / Available for Sunday's game at Houston here: LINK
Television: No television will be available this weekend. Texas' Sunday contest versus Houston will be available for live web stream for a subscription fee through this LINK.
Radio: Texas' games are slated for radio broadcast via web stream with Terry Lewis on the call via this LINK. The Texas broadcasts can also be heard locally this weekend in Austin on AM 1260 (Friday vs. Toledo & Ball State/Sunday vs. Toledo & Houston) and 105.3 FM (Saturday vs. Ball State) in the local and surrounding areas, part of the Austin Radio Network supported by the flagship radio station of the Longhorns, 104.9 FM The Horn.
Base Knocks:
- Texas will be facing off against Ball State and Toledo for the first time in program history this weekend at the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational. Its other opponent is much more familiar as the Longhorns and Houston have played 25 times with UT holding a 20-5 series advantage and a 6-2 advantage in road tilts. Last season's game may have been the most memorable in the entire series as Texas rallied from a 10-3, fifth-inning deficit to win 13-12 in what is believed to be the largest comeback to win a game in Longhorns program history.
- Longhorns junior Mickenzi Krpec put on a pinch-hitting clinic last weekend during the Texas Classic. The Fulshear, Texas, native was summoned off the bench to pinch-hit four times and reached all four times by going 3-for-3 with a walk. Krpec was also Texas' most successful pinch-hitter as a sophomore in 2015 with five total pinch hits in 18 at-bats.
- Texas' visit to Houston on April 1 of last season was truly one to remember as the Longhorns rallied back from a 10-3 deficit in the top of the fifth inning to beat the Cougars, 13-12. The seven-run rally is believed to be the largest comeback to win a game in UT program history. Holly Kern got the rally started in the top of the fifth with her first career grand slam and added a sixth-inning RBI single, Erin Shireman blasted a crucial sixth-inning, three-run shot and Stephanie Wong knocked in the game-winning run on a two-RBI single in the seventh.
- Newcomers truly made their impression felt for the Longhorns during the opening weekend's Texas Classic (Feb. 11-14). Junior third baseman Celina Felix led the offense by hitting .429 overall with a triple and three RBIs. The Montclair, Calif., native managed a walk-off free pass to beat North Carolina, 6-5 (8 inn.), and blasted a key seventh-inning triple that became the winning run to beat North Dakota State. 3-2. Freshman right fielder Reagan Hathaway hit .300 and knocked in Felix via walk-off sac fly against NDSU. Freshman infielder Christina Bardwell batted at a .400 clip with a team-high-tying four RBIs (equaled senior Stephanie Ceo's four RBIs) and also had a key hit on a two-run, fifth-inning single to tie North Carolina, 5-5, in a game UT won 6-5 (8). Sophomore pitcher Paige von Sprecken laced a three-run, sixth-inning double to finish digging Texas out a 6-0 hole against UNC and earned her first Longhorns pitching win in the same match-up against the Tarheels.
- Texas is making walk-off wins a habit again in 2016 as the Longhorns registered three walk-off victories during its season-opening Texas Classic (Feb. 11-14). Over the past two seasons, UT now owns eight true walk-off victories with seven of those occurring within the friendly confines of McCombs Field.
- Texas has gotten off to some impressive starts throughout its storied program history. This year's 5-0 opening currently ties the 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 squads for the best five-game start in the school record book.
