The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
K-State
Baseball preview: vs. Kansas State [March 24-26]
03.23.2017 | Baseball
The Longhorns host the Wildcats in a three-game Big 12 Conference Series.
TEXAS (14-10, 0-3 BIG 12) vs. KANSAS STATE (15-6, 0-0 BIG 12)
March 24-26, 2017
Where: Austin, Texas (UFCU Disch-Falk Field)
Time: Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT, Saturday at 4 p.m. CT, Sunday at 1 p.m. CT
TV: Longhorn Network
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn/1260 AM—Craig Way (Play-by-Play), Bill Little (Analyst)
Live stats: SidearmStats.com/Texas/Baseball?All-time series: Texas leads, 56-16-1
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS?
FRIDAY—KSU RHP Justin Heskett (2-1, 2.60) vs. Texas RHP Nolan Kingham (2-2, 0.95)
SATURDAY—KSU LHP Parker Rigler (2-1, 2.03) vs. Texas RHP Morgan Cooper (2-1, 2.05)
SUNDAY—KSU RHP Brogan Heinen (1-1, 3.96) vs. Texas RHP Blair Henley (2-2, 4.38)
GAME NOTES
THE MATCHUP—Texas and K-State meet for the 74th time in history…Texas leads the all-time series 56-16-1…the Longhorns took two of three from the Wildcats in Manhattan last year.
A LOOK AT THE WILDCATS—The Vaqueros have won six in a row including a four-game sweep at home against Buffalo…Jose Garcia leads the team with a .392 average and a .523 OBP…he's got 24 walks compared to just 11 strikeouts.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—Texas snapped a season-long four game losing streak on Wednesday night with a win over UTRGV…the Longhorns went down 7-0 in the first frame to the Vaqueros but roared back with 8.2 scoreless innings of relief (6.2 from Jon Malmin and 2.0 from Beau Ridgeway), allowing the offense to claw back and win it 9-7…Bret Boswell, who homered in Wednesday night's game, leads the team in average (.324), SLG (.549) and OBP (.448)…on the hill, Nolan Kingham leads the way for Texas with a 0.95 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP…Ridgeway has led the way in the 'pen.
NEXT UP—Texas heads to Corpus Christi on Tuesday to take on Texas A&M - Corpus Christie at Whataburger Field, home of the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks…the Longhorns then head on the road for a three-game Big 12 Conference series at Kansas.
LAST NIGHT—The Longhorns trailed 7-0 in the top of the first before a career relief appearance by Jon Malmin…the senior LHP tossed a career-most 6.2 innings (prev. 3 IP) and struck out a career-high 7.
CLEMENS—Through 24 games this season, Kacy Clemens has compiled a .313 average to go along with a .542 slugging percentage…the senior also leads the squad in home runs (4) and RBI (16)…Clemens led the Horns offense in 2016 with a .303 average while hitting five homers… he hit two long balls on Feb 24 vs. UCONN, becoming the first Longhorn to hit two homers in a game since C.J Hinojosa on May 16, 2015 at Baylor…he also snagged his first career stolen base on Feb 26.
TATER—Since earning his first career start on March 8 vs. TAMU-CC, redshirt sophomore Tate Shaw has produced for the Longhorns…in eight starts, the outfielder has gone 11-for-25 with four doubles and his first career home run… he went 4-for-6 with 4 RBI Tuesday night at Texas State after having just one career RBI previously.
MARCH JONES—After going just 6-for-30 with 12 strikeouts in 9 games in February, Travis Jones has since gone 16-for-51 (.314) with just 8 strikeouts in 15 March contests.
#MOREOFTHOSE—Through 24 games, nine different Longhorns have gone deep giving Texas 19 total homers…Bret Boswell and Ryan Reynolds each went deep on Wednesday night…Tate Shaw hit his first career homer on March 17…Mathis picked up his first homer on March 8, a three-run shot…freshman Reynolds picked up his first collegiate homer on Feb 26 vs. UConn…Kacy Clemens hit a pair of homers on Feb 24 vs. UConn…the Horns also hit two bombs in the Feb 22 game at Sam Houston State…Michael Cantu hit the first, giving him his first home run since March 24, 2015 at Texas State after not hitting a home run all of last season.
MCCANNIMAL—Backup catcher Michael McCann has been on a tear in limited duty this season…the redshirt-sophomore is 15-for-37 with two doubles, a triple and five RBI.
INJURIES IN THE OUTFIELD—Junior Patrick Mathis and senior Zane Gurwitz have been sidelined since March 14 night vs. Texas A&M…Gurwitz has tweaked his hamstring, an injury that hampered him during the start of the season as well…Mathis is day-to-day with a lower leg injury.
