The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Wednesday, March 22
Austin, Texas
4 p.m.
University of Texas
vs
McNeese State
Softball preview: vs. McNeese State [March 22, 2017]
03.21.2017 | Softball
The Longhorns host the Cowgirls in a single Wednesday contest at McCombs Field at 4 p.m. CT
Texas Game Notes vs. McNeese State
McNeese State (19-10) at Texas (16-11) | March 22 | McCombs Field, Austin, Texas
Schedule:
Wednesday, March 22
4 p.m. McNeese State at TEXAS – Longhorn Network – 105.3 FM "The Bat" in Austin
Location: Austin, Texas (Red & Charline McCombs Field)
Ticket Information: LINK
Live Stats: Available here: LINK
Television: The game against McNeese State is slated for live broadcast on Longhorn Network with Tyler Denning (play-by-play) and Megan Willis (color) on the call.
Radio: Texas' contest is scheduled for radio broadcast via web stream with Andrew Haynes on the call via this LINK. The Texas broadcast can also be heard locally in Austin on "The Bat" 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:
- It's been quite an exhausting late February through March so far for the Longhorns as far as travel goes. Since leaving for the trip to the Mary Nutter Classic on Feb. 22, Texas has been on the road for 18 of 26 possible days (until returning from its Spring Break Trip on March 18) and four consecutive weekends. In all, counting trips to Palm Springs, Calif., Tucson, Ariz., and Los Angeles/Long Beach/Fullerton, Calif., the Burnt Orange & White have traveled over 7,800 miles. Add in this weekend's upcoming trip to Stillwater, Okla., to open Big 12 play and that total will rise to nearly 9,000 miles.
- Texas rated No. 21 in the initial release of the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) and has played the fifth-toughest schedule in NCAA Division I. The Longhorns currently possess 12 victories over teams ranked in the RPI Top 100, including three wins over RPI Top 50 foes in Tennessee, Notre Dame and Missouri. Other triumphs have come against Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton (two), Colorado State (two), Louisiana Tech (two) and Indiana (two). In all, 10 of Texas' 11 losses thus far in 2017 have come against RPI Top 33 teams, with seven of those occurring by three runs or less and three by just a single tally (Arizona, UCLA, Texas State).
- The Longhorns are currently on pace to break the school single-season walks record. With 113 so far through 27 games, if Texas continues averaging 4.2 walks-per-game, it would finish with 222, nine above the all-time record of 213 set back in 2013.
- Redshirt sophomore pitcher Erica Wright came extremely close to throwing her first career no-hitter during the 4-0 victory in the second game of a doubleheader at Cal State Fullerton (March 18). The Huntington, Texas, native didn't allow a hit until permitting a bloop single with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. The one-hit shutout marked the fourth of Wright's career and her first since beating Oklahoma State, 11-0 (5) back on May 1, 2015.
- The Burnt Orange & White have played 15 of their 27 contests against teams that were ranked or receiving votes in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) or ESPN.com/USA Softball polls at time of playing, while eight of those tilts have been against top 15-rated foes.
- A year after seeing her average drop from .350 as a sophomore (2015) to .225 as a junior (2016), it seems that senior shortstop Devon Tunning is revitalized at the plate in 2017. The Henderson, Texas, native is currently batting .349, is ninth in the Big 12 Conference in slugging percentage at .570, has reached base safely in 24 of 27 games and has hit safely in 19 of 27 contests. After entering the season with nine career HR's (career-high seven in 2015), Tunning already owns a team-high four dingers over this year's initial 27 games.
- Texas' schedule has been incredibly difficult to this point in 2017 as 11 of UT's 19 opponents played currently possess winning records, six are currently ranked in the USA Today/NFCA coaches poll and nine of them own at least 19 wins. Included are three teams with 22 or more victories, No. 5 Arizona (29-1), No. 6 Washington (24-3), No. 8 Minnesota (25-2) and No. 20 Tennessee (22-5). Overall, the Longhorns' opponents (as of March 21) are 316-206-2 (.605).
- If Texas is leading after four innings of play so far in 2017, you can virtually put a check in the win column as the Longhorns are 12-1 when leading after four and five innings and 11-1 when ahead after six innings of action.
- A pair of Longhorns pitchers have really distinguished themselves in relief appearances out of the bullpen in 2017. Sophomore Brooke Bolinger owns a miniscule 0.86 ERA over six appearances (two earned runs in 16.1 innings), while redshirt sophomore Erica Wright has a 1.10 ERA in four appearances (two earned runs in 12.2 innings).
- Getting off to a quick start seems important for the 2017 Texas squad as the Longhorns are 12-4 when scoring first and 9-3 when tallying at least once in the first inning. On the other hand, UT is just 4-7 when its opponent puts the initial run on the board.
- If Texas homers, it seems to have a lot to do with its success so far in 2017 as the Longhorns are 11-1 when hitting at least one over the fence. Conversely, UT is just 5-10 when it doesn't manage a single HR.
- Miscues can change a game, and that has been true for Texas in 2017. UT is 8-2 if it is error-free and just 8-9 with at least one error.
- Texas has had a load of success with two outs in 2017, hitting .313 (80-for-256) while registering 57 of its 135 total RBIs (42%) with two outs in a inning. In all, 15 different Longhorns batters own two-out RBIs, led by seven each from senior first baseman Kelli Hanzel, sophomore outfielder Reagan Hathaway and freshman infielder Jade Gortarez.
- Since the beginning of the 2015 season, the nucleus of this year's Longhorns squad has demonstrated a resilience and "never quit" attitude in fighting back from deficits. Texas owns 29 come-from-behind victories (those where UT trailed at ANY point in a game) and 12 total "true" walk-off wins combined, including two walk-offs this year to beat Louisiana Tech during the Texas Invitational on Feb. 17, 6-5, and to down Notre Dame at the Mary Nutter Classic on Feb. 23, 4-3.
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ Softball
IF/OF
/ Softball
1B/2B
/ Softball
OF/C
/ Softball
SS/3B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball