The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oklahoma State
Baseball preview: Texas vs. Oklahoma State [March 23-25]
03.22.2018 | Baseball
The Longhorns and Cowboys face off in a three-game Big 12 Conference set beginning Friday at 7 p.m.
Texas (13-9, 3-0) vs. Oklahoma State (10-8-1, 0-0)
March 23-25, 2018
Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field (Austin, Texas)
Time: Friday—7 p.m., Saturday—2:30 p.m., Sunday—1:30 p.m.
TV: Longhorn Network
Radio: 104.9 The Horn, AM 1260
All-time series: Texas leads, 60-42
Complete Game Notes
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
FRIDAY—Oklahoma State RHP Jonathan Heasley (2-2, 6.49) vs. Texas RHP Blair Henley (3-1, 1.80)
SATURDAY—Oklahoma State LHP Carson Teel (3-0, 1.05) vs. Texas RHP Nolan Kingham (3-2, 4.28)
SUNDAY—Oklahoma State RHP C.J. Varela (1-0, 2.75) vs. Texas TBA
GAME NOTES
THE MATCHUP—The Longhorns host the Cowboys for a three-game Big 12 Conference series beginning on Friday at 7 p.m. at UFCU Disch-Falk Field…Texas and Oklahoma State last met in the Big 12 Championship game, with the Cowboys coming away victorious.
A LOOK AT THE COWBOYS—Oklahoma State is coming off a Tuesday night win on the road against Central Arkansas…over the weekend, the Cowboys went 1-1-1, with a win over Missouri State and a loss and a tie against Seton Hall…LH Carson Teel dominated in the Cowboys' win over Missouri State, going 7.0 innings, allowing three hits and onen walk while fanning eight…Colin Simpson leads the team with a .347 /.400/.653 line to go along with five homers on the year.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—Texas is coming off a midweek, 3-2 win over No. 25 Sam Houston State…before that, the Longhorns swept Kansas in their Big 12 Conference opening series, winning 14-4, 4-0, and 5-4, respectively…Kody Clemens continues to lead Texas with a .370/.505/.699 line for the year to go along with a career- and team-high six long balls…DH Zach Zubia leads the team with 23 RBI on the season…on the mound, Blair Henley holds a team-low 1.80 ERA and a 3-1 record on the season…three of his five outings have been quality starts.
NEXT UP—Texas will travel down I-35 for a contest at Texas State…Texas went 2-1 in three games against the Bobcats last season…the Longhorns will then head to Manhattan, Kan., for a three-game Big 12 Conference series against K-State, whom Texas swept last season at home.
CLEMENS, HIBBELER EARN WEEKLY AWARDS—Kody Clemens and Masen Hibbeler were named Big 12 Conference Player and Newcomer of the Week, respectively, for their efforts in the Longhorns' 3-2 week…Clemens hit .316/.364/.789 for the week with two homers and seven RBI while Hibbeler hit .333/.391/.571 with his first career homer…the weekly awards are the first career honors for both Clemens and Hibbeler.
THREE AND OH—The Longhorns opened Big 12 Conference action with a 3-0 record for the first time since 2012.
16 FOR 16—Last Friday night, Texas honored the life and career of legendary former head coach and No. 16, Augie Garrido, who passed away on Thursday morning at the age of 79…the Longhorns pounded out 16 hits in Friday night's win.
GO DJ, THAT'S MY DJ—After the first five attempted stolen bases against him were successful, junior catcher DJ Petrinsky has caught six-of-nine since, improving his caught stealing percentage to 42.9 percent.
PATIENT CLEMENS—Clemens has opened the 2018 campaign on a tear at the plate…he opened 2018 with a 13-game hit streak, the longest for a Longhorn since Madison Carter's 15-game streak in 2014…Clemens has amassed 21 walks to just 12 Ks on the season, is 3-for-3 in stolen bases, and holds a team-best 1.204 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage)…he has also reached base safely in all 22 games played this season, and 23 overall dating back to the 2017 campaign…he hit his 6th homer of the year last Sunday in his 21st game, a new career-high after hitting 5 in 54 games last season.
HENLEY HITTING HIS STRIDE—Aside from his March 10 start vs. Stanford in which he allowed five runs in six innings, sophomore starter Blair Henley has been very good so far this season…the right-hander has allowed zero runs in three of his five starts and just one in another…without the Stanford start, Henley would be 3-0 with a 0.37 ERA to go along with a 1.17 WHIP…following his Feb 25 start at LSU, Henley earned Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week.
ELLIS ELEVATING—After Duke Ellis compiled a .200/.231/.200 line in eight February games, the CF has hit .286/.472/.371 in 14 games in the month of March…his 16 walks rank second on the team, with 15 of those coming this month alone.
PRESEASON POLL—In the Big 12 preseason coaches' poll, Texas was selected to finish third behind preseason favorite Texas Tech (61) and TCU (60)…last season, seven of the nine Big 12 teams made the NCAA postseason.
