The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Ohio State vs. Virginia Tech
Softball preview: the Texas Invitational [Feb. 23-25, 2018]
02.22.2018 | Softball
The Longhorns host a standout field of four teams at the final home tournament of 2018
Texas Game Notes - the Texas Invitational
Texas hosts the Texas Invitational | Feb. 23-25 | Red & Charline McCombs Field, Austin, Texas
Schedule:
Friday, February 23
9 a.m. #21 Ohio State vs. Virginia Tech – LONGHORN NETWORK
11:30 a.m. Virginia Tech vs. #20 Michigan – LONGHORN NETWORK
2 p.m. Wichita State vs. #21 Ohio State – LONGHORN NETWORK
5 p.m. #20 Michigan vs. TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
7:30 p.m. Wichita State vs. TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
Saturday, February 24
9:30 a.m. #20 Michigan vs. Virginia Tech – LONGHORN NETWORK
12 p.m. Wichita State vs. #20 Michigan
3 p.m. Virginia Tech vs. TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
5:30 p.m. #21 Ohio State vs. TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
8 p.m. #21 Ohio State vs. Wichita State – LONGHORN NETWORK
Sunday, February 25
11 a.m. Virginia Tech vs. Wichita State – LONGHORN NETWORK
1:30 p.m. #20 Michigan vs. TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
**check into TexasSports.com or the Texas softball Twitter account (@TexasSoftball) for any weather-related delay or cancellation info should it become necessary
TEXAS CLEAR BAG POLICY: Please note that there is a new Clear Bag Policy in effect for fans when attending Texas Athletic events. For more details, please visit this LINK
Location: Austin, Texas (Red & Charline McCombs Field)
Ticket Information: LINK
Parking: Purchase in advance for the East Campus Parking Garage through CLICK & PARK - LINK
Live Stats: Available for every game of the Texas Invitational here: LINK
Television: Eleven of the 12 total games at the Texas Invitational are slated for live broadcast on Longhorn Network with a combination of Tyler Denning/Alex Loeb (play-by-play) and Megan Willis/Erin Miller (color) on the call.
Radio: Texas' games are slated for radio broadcast via web stream with Andrew Haynes on the call via this LINK. The Texas broadcasts can also be heard locally this weekend 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:
- The Longhorns enter this weekend having won 12 of their last 16 games in Texas Invitational action dating back to 2015. Last season, UT went 4-1 in the event with wins over Indiana (two) and Louisiana Tech (two) and a loss to South Carolina.
- Texas played strongly against No. 1 Washington on Wednesday night at McCombs Field, limiting the Huskies to their lowest offensive output of the season (two runs, previous low was seven runs in a 7-0 win over Wichita State) after UW entered the match-up averaging 11.1 runs-per-game (12 games). UT also scored a run and banged out six hits against starting pitcher Taran Alvelo. The Washington junior hurler had entered play having allowed no runs and just seven total hits over 26 innings of work thus far in 2018.
- Texas enters this weekend with a 9-12 all-time mark against its opposition. UT is just 2-9 overall against Michigan and 0-3 versus the Wolverines in Austin. The last time the two teams met at McCombs Field was Feb. 15, 2008, as UM won 6-2. The Longhorns are 4-2 against Wichita State and 2-2 in ATX with the last home meeting coming in the Texas Classic back on Feb. 14, 2015, a 10-4 UT win. Texas has never faced Virginia Tech before and is 3-1 against Ohio State. This will mark the first match-up against the Buckeyes at McCombs Field.
- Texas is getting impressive contributions so far through its first nine games from the leadoff spot in the lineup. IN ALL TEXAS HAS SCORED 17 OF ITS 24 TOTAL RUNS AFTER GETTING THE LEAD-OFF ON TO START AN INNING! Counting all opportunities to start an inning, the Longhorns are opening a frame by reaching successfully 39.7% of the time. Freshman second baseman and true lead-off hitter Janae Jefferson (6-for-13), sophomore shortstop Kaitlyn Slack (4-for-7) and sophomore catcher Taylor Ellsworth (5-for-9) have had the most success of anyone in the line-up when given the opportunity to lead-off.
- Rookie second baseman Janae Jefferson's recent eight-game hitting streak marked the longest to open a career by a freshman in Longhorns history breaking the old mark of seven games set by former UT second baseman Stephanie Ceo from Feb. 8-15, 2013. SHE IS CURRENTLY RIDING A NINE-GAME REACHED BASE STREAK HEADING INTO THE TEXAS INVITATIONAL!
- Texas has had much of its success this season hitting with two outs in an inning. In all, the Longhorns have scored 13 of their 24 total runs (54%) and registered 11 of their 21 total RBIs (52%) with two outs in a frame.
- Out-hitting the opposition has proven to be a predictor of success thus far for the Longhorns in 2018 as Texas is a perfect 4-0 when tallying more hits, 0-4 when out-hit by an opponent and 0-1 when the hits are tied.
- Freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson, senior pitcher/first baseman Paige von Sprecken and sophomore shortstop Kaitlyn Slack were each named to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge All-Tournament Team for their efforts last weekend in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Jefferson hit a team-best .545 with two RBIs, von Sprecken batted .333 and tossed a complete-game three-hitter while blasting a solo HR against Rutgers, and Slack batted .273 while posting two RBIs during the 7-3 win over Houston.
- By virtue of seven innings of work in a complete-game win over Houston (Feb. 17), redshirt junior pitcher Erica Wright became just the 10th Longhorns pitcher to toss 300 innings in her career. With 303 career frames, she needs just five more innings to move past former Longhorns pitcher Amy Bradford (307.2 IP - 2002-05) into ninth on the all-time list.
- In her 23rd season (22nd as varsity coach) as Texas head coach, Connie Clark is quickly closing in on another milestone. She now owns 844 career wins, needing just six more to reach the 850-victory mark. She currently ranks #25 on the list of winningest active coaches (at four-year colleges) with at least five years of NCAA Division I experience.
- Texas will look to have more success this season in one-run games than it did during 2017 as the Longhorns went just 4-12 last year in contests decided by a single tally. In all, Texas finished the year by dropping 12 of its last 13 one-run contests with the only win over that stretch coming in a 2-1 (8 inn.) victory over Houston (April 2). With a 2-1 loss on Wednesday to No. 1 Washington, Texas has now lost 13 of its last 14 one-run games dating back to 2017.
