The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi
Softball preview: vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi [Feb. 28, 2018]
02.27.2018 | Softball
The Longhorns welcome the Islanders for a mid-week non-conference showdown at McCombs Field
Texas Game Notes vs. Texas A&M-CC
Texas (6-8) hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (5-9) | Feb. 28 | Red & Charline McCombs Field, Austin, Texas
Schedule:
Wednesday, February 28
6 p.m. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 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 here: LINK
Television: Wednesday's contest is slated for live broadcast on Longhorn Network with Alex Loeb (play-by-play) and Amanda Scarborough (color) on the call.
Radio: Texas' games this season 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 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 owns a 27-3 overall record against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and is 23-2 all-time against the Islanders in Austin. The Longhorns have won the last eight meetings and took last season's match-up at McCombs Field on May 3, 3-0. In that contest, four different UT pitchers combined on the win with Brooke Bolinger getting the decision after tossing 3.0 scoreless innings of three-hit relief with three strikeouts.
- Look out for the Longhorns during the third inning as Texas has posted 16 of its 40 (40%) total tallies in the frame over their first 14 games of 2018, twice as many as in the next most prolific inning (second - eight runs). Amazingly enough, the Burnt Orange & White are still waiting to register their initial first-inning run of the season.
- Three appears to be the magic number relating to wins for Texas this season as the Longhorns are 5-1 when holding opponents to fewer than three runs and 1-7 when the opposition scores three or more runs.
- 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 HAS NOW SUCCESSFULLY REACHED BASE IN 12 OF HER FIRST 14 CAREER GAMES!
- Twice this season, the Longhorns have been within one out of victory only to have an opponent snatch the "W" away. Against Wisconsin (Feb. 10), UT was leading 3-2 with two outs in the seventh before a RBI single tied things up and the Badgers went on to win in the 8th, 7-3. On Feb. 24 versus No. 21 Ohio State, Texas was one strike from victory until Emily Clark hit a 3-2 pitch down the left field line for a seventh-inning grand slam to power the Buckeyes to an 8-5 win.
- Texas has had much of its success this season hitting with two outs in an inning. In all, the Longhorns have scored 22 of their 40 total runs (55%) and registered 18 of their 33 total RBIs (55%) 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 5-0 when tallying more hits, 0-6 when out-hit by an opponent and 1-2 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 306.2 career frames, she needs just 1.1 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 846 career wins, needing just four 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.
- In a preseason team vote, senior catcher/utility player Randel Leahy and junior outfielder Bekah Alcozer were elected team captains for the 2018 season. Entering the campaign, Leahy had played in 115 career games (88 starts) with a .272 career average, 27 extra-base hits and 56 RBIs, while Alcozer had played in 66 games (33 starts) and led the Longhorns in HR's with six in 2017.
- 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 to No. 1 Washington (Feb. 21) and a 3-2 win over Virginia Tech (Feb. 24), Texas is 1-1 in such contests this year but has now lost 13 of its last 15 one-run games dating back to 2017.
