The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
BYU
Softball preview: vs. BYU [April 1-2, 2016]
03.31.2016 | Softball
The Longhorns will host the Cougars for a three-game set at McCombs Field over Friday & Saturday
Texas Game Notes vs. BYU - April 1-2, 2016
BYU (19-12) at No. RV Texas (20-8) | April 1-2 | McCombs Field, Austin, Texas
Schedule:
Friday, April 1
5 p.m. CT BYU at No. RV TEXAS – LINK TO WATCH LHN
Saturday, April 2
6 p.m. CT BYU at No. RV TEXAS – LINK TO WATCH LHN
8:30 p.m. CT BYU at No. RV TEXAS – LINK TO WATCH LHN
**check TexasSports.com or our Twitter account (@TexasSoftball) for any weather-related delay or cancellation information should it become necessary
Location: Austin, Texas (Red & Charline McCombs Field)
Ticket Information: LINK
Live Stats: LINK
Television: The games will be broadcast live on Longhorn Network with Tyler Denning (play-by-play) and Megan Willis (color) on the call.
Radio: All three contests are slated for radio broadcast via web stream with Terry Lewis on the call via this LINK. They can also be heard locally in Austin on 105.3 FM 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 and BYU have played three times previously with the Longhorns holding a 2-1 series advantage over the Cougars. UT is 0-1 against BYU in Austin having dropped a 9-8 decision in the teams' most recent meeting on May 21, 2010, at McCombs Field.
- Texas is obviously comfortable playing close games as the Longhorns currently boast an 9-4 record in one-run games in 2016. UT also owns five walk-off wins and 10 come-from-behind victories this year. In all, eight of Texas' last 11 games have been settled by one run with Texas owning a 4-4 mark in those contests.
- The Longhorns have had some difficulty this season settling on a one-through-nine batting line-up as UT has used 19 different combinations through the opening 28 games. In fact, the most Texas has used any one-through-nine combination has been four times.
- Since the decision was made to move senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens into the lead-off spot in the line-up prior to the Illinois game on Feb. 27 (14 games ago), the Beaumont, Texas, native is hitting a ridiculous .510 (25-for-49) with 13 runs scored, four doubles, two triples, four HR's and 13 RBIs to go along with a 1.437 OPS. That's certainly not to take away from what UT's normal lead-off hitter Devon Tunning did in that spot over the opening 14 games this season, a .366 mark (15-for-41) with a .458 on-base percentage while reaching base safely by hit or walk in 12 of 14 contests.
- UT head coach Connie Clark is closing in on a milestone victory during her impressive career on the Forty Acres. With her 2016 team currently sitting at 20-8, Clark's overall record stands at 789-341-3, meaning the 20th year varsity coach needs just 11 more victories to reach the 800-win mark in her career.
- Texas softball hit a milestone during the Texas Classic on the opening weekend of the 2016 season as the 4-1 win over Arkansas on Feb. 11, represented the program's 400th all-time home victory combining both Red & Charline McCombs Field and the East Austin Youth Complex (played the program's inaugural 1997 varsity season there). The Longhorns now boast an all-time home mark of 410-107-2 (.791). At McCombs Field, UT is 396-100-2 (.797) all-time, and could hit the 400-win mark at the facility later this season.
- The second release of the RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) was issued by the NCAA on Monday and Texas rated at No. 41 overall. In the Big 12 Conference, the Longhorns were third behind only Oklahoma (No. 12) and Baylor (No. 14). UT was No. 37 in last week's initial release of the season.
- Who scores first has played a major role to this point in whether Texas or its opposition wins games in 2016. Thus far through 28 contests, the Longhorns are 14-1 when putting a run on the scoreboard first and just 6-7 when the opposition crosses the plate initially.
- Scoring three runs appears to be the magic number for success for the Texas softball teams this season. Through the opening 28 games of the season, the Longhorns are 20-2 when scoring three-or-more times in a game and 0-6 when being held below that number.
- With a fifth-inning pinch running appearance during last Saturday's 6-5 loss at No. 20 Baylor, senior second baseman Stephanie Ceo appeared in her 200th career game on the Forty Acres. She needs to appear in 21 more games to tie Lexy Bennett (2009-12) for 10th all-time in program history (221 appearances). With 196 career starts, Ceo also needs just four more starts to reach 200 all-time and 21 more to tie Bennett for 10th in that category (217).
- Senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens led the Big 12 Conference in overall batting average at .418 (as of the most recent stat release on March 27). The Beaumont, Texas, native also rated tied for third in the league in hits (38), seventh in on-base percentage (.460), tied for third in triples (two), third in total bases (66) and fourth in slugging percentage (.725).
- Senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens continues her quick ascension up the Texas career charts in numerous categories. She's now fourth in career batting average (.359), third in triples (12), tied for second in HR's (38), fourth in RBIs (143), second in slugging percentage (.701), 10th in runs scored (124) and sixth in on-base percentage (.429). She also sits just outside the career Top 10 in doubles (29 - needs sixth for 10th).
