The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas Tech
Softball preview: vs. Texas Tech [April 8-10, 2016]
04.07.2016 | Softball
The Longhorns return to Big 12 Conference play this weekend by hosting the Red Raiders in a three-game series
Texas Game Notes vs. Texas Tech [April 8-10, 2016]
Texas Tech (18-19, 3-0 Big 12) at No. RV Texas (25-9, 0-2 Big 12) | April 8-10 | McCombs Field, Austin, Texas
Schedule:
Friday, April 8
6 p.m. CT Texas Tech at No. RV TEXAS – LINK TO WATCH LHN
Saturday, April 9
1 p.m. CT Texas Tech at No. RV TEXAS – LINK TO WATCH LHN
Sunday, April 10
12 p.m. CT Texas Tech 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: All three games: LINK
Television: All three games will be broadcast 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 has won five straight games, its second-longest win streak of the season behind 12 consecutive 'W's to open 2016.
- Sophomore pitcher Paige von Sprecken has been on quite the roll over Texas' last four games, having batted .583 (7-for-12) with three doubles, a triple and five RBIs at the plate while going 2-0 from the circle with a 0.00 ERA, two complete games and seven K's over a CAREER-BEST 12 STRAIGHT SCORELESS INNINGS OF WORK.
- Senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens is quickly approaching the Texas single-season doubles record. The Beaumont, Texas, product currently owns a career-high 13 doubles this season, just three two-baggers from equaling the school mark of 16 established by both Taylor Thom (2013) and Nadia Taylor (2012). With 18 regular-season contests plus postseason remaining, chances are that Stephens will break the mark.
- Junior pitcher Tiarra Davis needs just 14.2 more innings of work to become the sixth Longhorns pitcher in history to toss 400 frames in her career. With 38 career victories, the Henderson, Texas, product also needs just two more wins to become the sixth UT pitcher to reach the 40-win mark during her stay in the Burnt Orange & White.
- The Longhorns have had some difficulty this season settling on a one-through-nine batting line-up as UT has used 24 different combinations through the opening 34 games. In fact, the most Texas has used any one-through-nine combination has been four times. Texas has used different 1-through-9 line-up combos in 11 of its last 12 GAMES starting on March 17 at Hawai'i.
- When the Longhorns out-hit their opponent, that usually means a "W." This season Texas is 21-4 when putting more hits up on the board than the opposition and just 4-5 when tied or trailing in the hit category.
- Who scores first has played a major role to this point in whether Texas or its opposition wins games in 2016. Thus far through 34 contests, the Longhorns are 19-1 when putting a run on the scoreboard first and just 6-8 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 34 games of the season, the Longhorns are 25-2 when scoring three-or-more times in a game and 0-7 when being held below that number.
- Texas is obviously comfortable playing close games as the Longhorns currently boast an 10-4 record in one-run games in 2016. UT also owns five walk-off wins and 10 come-from-behind victories this year. In all, nine of Texas' last 17 games have been settled by one run with Texas owning a 5-4 mark in those contests.
- 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 (20 games ago), the Beaumont, Texas, native is hitting .470 (31-for-66) with 19 runs scored, eight doubles, three triples, five HR's and 19 RBIs to go along with a 1.423 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 25-9, Clark's overall record stands at 794-342-3, meaning the 20th year varsity coach needs just six more victories to reach the 800-win mark in her career.
- The latest release of the RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) was issued by the NCAA on Monday with Texas rated at No. 36 overall. In the Big 12 Conference, the Longhorns were third behind only Baylor (No. 10) and Oklahoma (No. 12). UT was No. 37 in the initial release of the season on March 20 and No. 41 in last week's RPI (March 27).
- 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 (.358), tied for second in triples (13), second in HR's (39), tied for third in RBIs (149), second in slugging percentage (.707), eighth in runs scored (130) and sixth in on-base percentage (.432). She also sits just outside the career Top 10 in doubles (33 - needs two more for 10th).
- With a fifth-inning pinch running appearance during UT's 6-5 loss at No. 20 Baylor, senior second baseman Stephanie Ceo appeared in her 200th career game on the Forty Acres. With 207 career appearances, she needs to appear in 14 more games to tie Lexy Bennett (2009-12) for 10th all-time in program history (221 appearances). Now with 202 career starts (got 200 in the DH opener vs. UTEP on April 5), Ceo needs just 15 more to tie Bennett for 10th in that category (217).
