The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Thursday, April 13
Lubbock, Texas
6 p.m.
University of Texas
at
Texas Tech
Softball preview: at Texas Tech [April 13-15, 2017]
04.12.2017 | Softball
The Longhorns head back out on the road for a three-game league series against the Red Raiders
Texas Game Notes at Texas Tech
Texas (20-18, 0-6 Big 12) at Texas Tech (17-20, 4-5 Big 12) | April 13-15 | Rocky Johnson Field, Lubbock, Texas
Schedule:
Thursday, April 13
6 p.m. CT TEXAS at Texas Tech
Radio: 105.3 FM "The Bat" in Austin or online at TexasSports.com/audio
Friday, April 14
4 p.m. CT TEXAS at Texas Tech
Radio: 105.3 FM "The Bat" in Austin or online at TexasSports.com/audio
Saturday, April 15
12 p.m. CT TEXAS at Texas Tech
Radio: 105.3 FM "The Bat" in Austin or online at TexasSports.com/audio
Location: Lubbock, Texas (Rocky Johnson Field)
Ticket Information: LINK
Live Stats: THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY
Television/Web Video: The games at Texas Tech will only be available online through live web stream via the following LINK. A subscription fee ($$) may be required to access to web stream.
Radio: Texas' contests are 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:
- Texas leads its all-time series over Texas Tech by a commanding total of 36-10, including 16-4 in away games in Lubbock, Texas. The Red Raiders have made a little series noise recently by winning three of the last five overall meetings, including two during UT's last visit to Rocky Johnson Field from April 24-26, 2015.
- Sophomore left-hander Brooke Bolinger has been on quite a roll from the circle lately as the Yucaipa, Calif., native enters this weekend's series at Texas Tech on a career-best streak of 10 scoreless innings dating back to an appearance on March 29 at UTSA.
- The injury bug has bitten the Longhorns recently as freshman infielder Jade Gortarez remains week-to-week with a foot injury, while sophomore outfielder Reagan Hathaway has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2017 season with a knee injury suffered during the opener against No. 11/9 Oklahoma (April 7).
- Texas' schedule has been incredibly difficult to this point in 2017 as 17 of UT's 23 opponents played currently possess winning records, seven are currently ranked in the USA Today/NFCA coaches poll and nine of them own at least 25 wins. Included are four teams with 35 or more victories, No. 2 Arizona (40-1), No. 6 Minnesota (35-3), No. 10 Oklahoma (35-7) and No. 16 Tennessee (36-5). Overall, the Longhorns' opponents (as of April 12) are 547-414-3 (.569).
- One-run games haven't been kind to the Longhorns thus far in 2017 as Texas owns just a 4-9 record in such contests. In fact, the Burnt Orange & White have lost nine of their last 10 one-run games (beat Houston 2-1 in 8 inn. on April 2) while nine of UT's last 13 overall defeats have all come by just a single tally.
- Putting three or more runs on the scoreboard seems to be the magic number for Longhorns success in 2017 as Texas boasts a solid 18-4 mark when its offense totals three runs or more but is just 2-14 when crossing the plate less than three times.
- Redshirt sophomore pitcher Erica Wright looks like she's returning to form after missing all of the 2016 season because of injury. Over her last eight appearances in the circle (Loyola Marymount, Cal State Fullerton, McNeese State, Oklahoma State, UTSA, Houston, Texas State, Oklahoma), the Huntington, Texas, native has allowed just 15 combined hits over 39.0 innings of work (0.38 hits-per-inning), struck out 38, registered three complete-game one-hitters and posted a miniscule ERA of 1.44. She also recently tied her career-high for consecutive scoreless innings by tossing 15.0 straight shutout frames (from March 14 at Loyola Marymount until March 25 at Oklahoma State) and tossed a remarkable 12.2 hitless innings from the second frame of the OSU game through the first inning of the Houston DH opener.
- During Texas' series finale at Oklahoma State (March 26), freshman catcher Taylor Ellsworth added her name to the school record book by tying former Longhorns standout Taylor Thom's single-game record for hits (established April 23, 2011 at Texas Tech) by going a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate. Since starting against No. 21/19 Arizona State back on February 25, the Georgetown, Texas, native is hitting .480 (24-for-50) with 10 runs scored, three doubles, her first three collegiate HR's, 14 RBIs and a 1.220 OPS. She's also recently posted a career-long seven-game hitting streak and reached by hit in 12 of her last 17 games.
- Texas has had a load of success with two outs in 2017, hitting .298 (107-for-359) while registering 71 of its 162 total RBIs (44%) with two outs in an inning. In all, 15 different Longhorns batters own two-out RBIs, led by 10 from freshman infielder Jade Gortarez, eight from senior first baseman Kelli Hanzel and seven each from sophomore outfielder Reagan Hathaway and freshman catcher Taylor Ellsworth.
- It was quite an exhausting late February through March for the Longhorns as far as travel went. From the time the team left for the trip to the Mary Nutter Classic on Feb. 22, Texas was on the road for a stretch 22 of 34 possible days (until returning from Stillwater, Okla., on March 26) and five consecutive weekends. In all, also counting trips to Palm Springs, Calif., Tucson, Ariz., and Los Angeles/Long Beach/Fullerton, Calif., the Burnt Orange & White traveled nearly 9,000 miles.
- 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 .352, is fourth in the Big 12 Conference in slugging percentage at .574, has reached base safely in 31 of 38 games and has hit safely in 26 of 38 contests. After entering the season with nine career HR's (career-high seven in 2015), Tunning already owns a team-high five dingers over this year's initial 38 games.
- The Burnt Orange & White have played 21 of their 38 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 11 of those tilts have been against top 15-rated foes.
- 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 30 come-from-behind victories (those where UT trailed at ANY point in a game) and 13 total "true" walk-off wins combined, including three walk-offs this year to beat Louisiana Tech during the Texas Invitational on Feb. 17, 6-5, to down Notre Dame at the Mary Nutter Classic on Feb. 23, 4-3, and to beat Houston on April 2, 2-1 (8 inn.).
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ Softball
C/1B
/ Softball
IF/OF
/ Softball
1B/2B
/ Softball
OF/C
/ Softball
SS/3B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball