The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Friday, May 20
Lafayette, La.
3:30 p.m.
University of Texas
vs
Texas A&M
No. 25 Softball preview: at the NCAA Lafayette Regional [May 20-22, 2016]
05.19.2016 | Softball
Texas will begin its 12th consecutive NCAA Regional by facing Texas A&M on Friday at 3:30 p.m. CT
Texas NCAA Regional Postseason Media Supplement
No. RV/25 Texas (37-14, 10-7 Big 12) at the NCAA Lafayette Regional | May 20-22 | Lamson Park | Lafayette, La.
NCAA Lafayette Regional Schedule:
Friday, May 20
Game 1 – 3:30 p.m. CT – TEXAS vs. Texas A&M – ESPN2/simulcast on Longhorn Network
Game 2 – 6 p.m. CT – Boston Univ. vs. #14-seed Louisiana-Lafayette – ESPNU
Saturday, May 21
Game 3 – 11 a.m. CT – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – TV TBA
Game 4 – 1:30 p.m. CT – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser – TV TBA
Game 5 – 4 p.m. CT – Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner – TV TBA
Sunday, May 22
Game 6 – 3:30 p.m. CT – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner – TV TBA
Game 7 – 6 p.m. CT – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (if necessary) – TV TBA
**check TexasSports.com or our Twitter account (@TexasSoftball) for any weather-related delay or cancellation information should it become necessary
Location: Lafayette, La. (Lamson Park)
Live Stats/Live Video: NCAA Lafayette Regional Tournament Central – Ticket Info, Live Stats & Live Video Links included
Television: Texas' opening match-up against Texas A&M is slated for live broadcast in two places: on ESPN2 with Adam Amin (PBP) and Amanda Scarborough (analyst) as well as on Longhorn Network with Tyler Denning (PBP) and Megan Willis (analyst). Additional TV broadcast designations for the Longhorns throughout the remainder of the regional are TBA.
Radio: Each Texas game during the Lafayette Regional is slated for radio broadcast via web stream with Terry Lewis on the call through this LINK. It 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 is making its 17th overall and 12th consecutive NCAA Regional appearance with this weekend's trip to Lafayette, La., for the NCAA Lafayette Regional. The Longhorns are 48-33 overall in NCAA Tournament play and 34-21 in NCAA Regionals with six regional titles (1998, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2012, 2013).
- The Lafayette Regional is the seventh-toughest regional in the country by average RPI of all four teams in the bracket at 48.0 (Norman is the toughest at an average RPI of 30.0). If you consider only the three-highest-rated RPI teams in each regional, however, the Lafayette Regional becomes the second-toughest with an average of 18.3 to trail only the Tallahassee Regional (17.3).
- Texas enters this weekend holding a 12-10 record this season against a combined 12 teams that made the NCAA Tournament Field of 64. The Longhorns posted victories over North Carolina (two), North Dakota State, Illinois, Weber State, Texas State, Samford, BYU (two) and Oklahoma State (three) while losing contests to Tulsa (two), Texas State, #18 Arizona, #20 Baylor (two), BYU and #12 Oklahoma (three). in all, seven of Texas' 10 losses to NCAA Tournament teams this year came by just one or two runs.
- Texas has met just two of this weekend's three regional opponents, having never faced off against potential foe Boston University. The Longhorns are tied at 20-20 in 40 all-time meetings against old rival Texas A&M, having win the last two meetings between the two teams back on April 28-29, 2012, in Austin, before the Aggies left for the SEC. A&M does hold a 4-3 advantage in neutral site games with the two programs having battled in NCAA play just once before back on May 18, 2002, in Norman, Okla., a 2-1 Texas A&M victory. UT owns a 10-4 series advantage over ULL, but has lost the last two meetings. Texas is 2-2 in Lafayette, La., dropping two games in its last visit there for 2014 NCAA Regional play. The Ragin' Cajuns hold a 3-1 advantage in NCAA Tournament match-ups, losing to Texas in the 2003 Women's College World Series before winning regional contests in 2011 (in Austin) and 2014 (two games).
- Texas boasts a number of players currently riding some impressive streaks. Junior third baseman Celina Felix is on a 10-game hitting streak, tied for the longest of her career. During that skein, she's hitting a ridiculous .515 (17-for-33) overall. Senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens has reached base safely in 19 consecutive games (also on a six-game hitting streak), while freshman outfielder Reagan Hathaway and junior first baseman Kelli Hanzel have reached base safely in 12 and nine games, respectively.
- Senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens is approaching or has already set several personal milestones at Texas this season. The senior center fielder is just ONE HIT AWAY from becoming just the 10th Longhorns player in program history to reach the 200-career-hit plateau (has 199 hits as of May 19). She just reached the 200th career game played plateau (vs. Kansas on May 1) to join teammate Stephanie Ceo in reaching the mark in 2016 and with a grand slam against KU on May 1 became only the second UT
- Lindsey Stephens has proven very effective as a lead-off hitter since taking over the role prior to the Illinois game back on Feb. 27, hitting .434 (49-of-113) in that slot with 41 runs scored, 15 doubles, three triples, 10 HR's and 33 RBIs to go along with a 1.411 OPS. When starting any inning for the Longhorns, she reaches a remarkable 54.7 percent of the time (35-for-64), has reached in Texas' VERY FIRST AT-BAT OF THE GAME on 21 occasions this season (57% of her 37 games as the leadoff) and has reached base safely in 45 of her 51 total games in 2016.
- It's been a remarkable year for the Longhorns offense with two outs in an inning in 2016 as UT has registered 45 percent (115 of its 256 total RBIs) of its total RBI output with two retired in frame. Which Longhorns hitters then do you want at the plate with two outs in an inning and needing a run? Junior third baseman Celina Felix, senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens, senior right fielder Holly Kern and sophomore designated player/pitcher Paige von Sprecken, that's who. Felix owns a .413 two-out average (19-for-46) with 15 two-out RBIs, Stephens is at .327 (16-for-49) with 14 two-out RBIs, Kern is at .359 (14-for-39) with a team-best 16 two-out RBIs and von Sprecken is batting a remarkable .529 (9-for-17) with seven two-out RBIs.
- For her efforts against North Texas and Iowa State, senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens picked up numerous accolades. The Beaumont, Texas, native was named the ESPNW National Player of the Week (and was featured in an article by national writer Graham Hays), earned her second career nod as the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Player of the Week and was tabbed as the Big 12 Conference's Player of the Week for the third time this season. Stephens hit .571 with 11 runs scored, six extra-base hits, including four HR's, and seven RBIs as UT went a perfect 4-0.
- Don't try to run on senior catcher Erin Shireman as the backstop has thrown out 14-of-27 base runners this season (52%) and 39% of all would-be base stealers in her career on the Forty Acres (27-for-69).
- Junior first baseman Kelli Hanzel has been seeing the ball very well over the Longhorns last 19 games as the Houston, Texas, native owns a team-high .405 average over that stretch with 16 runs scored, five extra-base hits, including three of her four HR's this season, and 14 RBIs.
- Sophomore designated player/pitcher Paige von Sprecken was named the Big 12 Conference's Player of the Week on April 26, after leading the Longhorns during their sweep of Oklahoma State over April 22-24 by hitting .571 (4-for-7) with her first career HR and six RBIs. Included in her efforts was the game-winning RBI single in the sixth inning of the 8-7, series finale triumph. Over UT's last 21 games dating back to the second game of the DH against BYU on April 2nd, von Sprecken is batting a team-best .429 (18-for-42) with five extra-base hits and 14 RBIs.
- The Longhorns have an opportunity to set a new single-season record for double plays in a campaign, entering the weekend with 23 twin-killings this year to rate as the SECOND-MOST in the program's record book in the category. The all-time record is 25 established by the 2009 Texas team.
- When the Longhorns out-hit their opponent, that usually means a "W." This season Texas is 30-4 when putting more hits up on the board than the opposition and just 7-10 when tied or trailing in the hit category. Who scores first has also played a major role to this point in whether Texas or its opposition wins games in 2016. Thus far through 51 contests, the Longhorns are 28-2 when putting a run on the scoreboard first and just 9-12 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 51 games of the season, the Longhorns are 36-5 when scoring three-or-more times in a game and 1-9 when being held below that number.
- At Iowa State, senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens joined Taylor Hoagland as the only two Longhorns to reach the 40-double, 40-HR club in their career on the Forty Acres. Stephens currently owns 40 doubles and 44 HR's, while Hoagland finished with 40 doubles and 58 HR's. In all, seven Longhorns have managed 40 or more doubles in their playing careers but none of those, other than Hoagland and now Stephens, hit 40 or more big flies.
- There's no place like home for junior pitcher Tiarra Davis as she boasts a 16-2 home pitching mark at McCombs Field with a 1.24 ERA, 12 complete games, three solo shutouts and 98 K's in 113.1 innings. Contrast that to her road numbers: 4-5 record, 2.86 ERA, six complete games and 40 K's in 56.1 frames. Junior designated player/pitcher Paige von Sprecken also loves the friendly confines, batting .515 (17-for-33) at home this season and .167 (only 12 away at bats) on the road.
- Stephens also continues her quick ascension up the Texas career charts in numerous categories. She's now fourth in career batting average (.361), tied for second in triples (13), second in HR's (44), second in RBIs (163), FIRST in slugging percentage (.719), sixth in runs scored (152), tied for fifth in doubles (40) and fourth in on-base percentage (.442).
- The latest release of the RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) was issued by the NCAA on Monday with Texas rated at No. 28 overall. In the Big 12 Conference, the Longhorns were third behind Oklahoma (No. 3) and Baylor (No. 13). UT was No. 37 in the initial release of the season on March 20, No. 41 on March 27, No. 36 in both the April 4 & 11 releases, No. 38 on April 18, No. 32 on April 25, No. 31 on May 2 and a season-best No. 26 on May 9.
- Texas is currently on pace to strike out as a team just 181 times in 2016, which would mark the second-fewest K's by a UT team in a single season in program history (No. 2 is currently 196 K's by the 2015 team). The school record for the fewest K's in a single campaign was established by the 1997 edition of the Horns which struck out just 169 times over 54 match-ups.
- Texas head coach Connie Clark reached a MILESTONE VICTORY on April 27th with a 6-0 win over Texas Southern. Clark's overall record stands at 806-347-3. The postgame celebration where senior captains Lindsey Stephens, Rachel Scott and Stephanie Ceo surprised coach during the postgame LHN interview with pies in the face made Thursday morning's edition of ESPN SportsCenter AM (as #BestPie) as well as the national NCAA Softball and NFCA Twitter accounts.
Players Mentioned
2B
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LHP/1B
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3B/SS
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1B/2B
/ SoftballOF/C
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OF
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OF
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OF
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