The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Stephen F. Austin
Softball preview: vs. Stephen F. Austin [March 27, 2018]
03.26.2018 | Softball
The Longhorns step out of conference play to host the LadyJacks on Tuesday
Stephen F. Austin (17-13) at TEXAS (16-13) | March 27 | Red & Charline McCombs Field, Austin, Texas
Schedule:
Tuesday, March 27
6 p.m. Stephen F. Austin at TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK – LINK
**Check into TexasSports.com or the official Texas softball Twitter account (@TexasSoftball) for any weather delay or cancellation information 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 for all games: LINK
Television: Tuesday's game is slated for live broadcast on Longhorn Network with Tyler Denning (play-by-play) and Megan Willis (color) on the call.
Radio: Texas' game is slated for radio broadcast via FREE web stream with Andrew Haynes on the call through 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 13-2 all-time series advantage over Stephen F. Austin and is 12-1 against the Ladyjacks at McCombs Field. The teams have split the last two meetings with SFA winning 1-0 in ATX back on April 13, 2011, while Texas triumphed in the most recent match-up on Feb. 13, 2013, 6-0.
- Texas is currently riding a season-long four-game winning streak. It's the first for the Longhorns since April 26-May 3, 2017. The last five-plus game win streak occurred from Feb. 18-Feb. 25, 2017 (six games).
- The Longhorns pitching staff as a whole has been lights out over its last 11 contests, registering a miniscule 1.40 ERA with five complete games, four shutouts, four saves and 69 strikeouts over 75 innings while limiting opponents to a .199 average. Paige von Sprecken (0.84 ERA, 3-1, 17 K, 25 IP) and Brooke Bolinger (0.85 ERA, 3-2, 32 K, 24.2 IP) have been a terrific 1-2 punch, while Erica Wright has registered three saves over that stretch and is currently riding a season-high string of 10.1 scoreless frames.
- Over Texas' last 15 games, redshirt junior pitcher Erica Wright has been en fuego from the circle, posting a 1.00 ERA with a 2-0 record, four saves and 17 strikeouts over 21 IP while limiting opponents to a .139 batting average.
- Texas is 3-0 in Big 12 play for the 11th time in program history and for the first time since 2015. The last time the Longhorns started off the season at either 4, 5 or 6-0 to begin league play was 2013 when UT opened the Big 12 at 8-0.
- Longhorns freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson seems to be averse to the strikeout as the Humble, Texas, native has yet to K this season over 104 total plate appearances and currently ranks in the tie with two other players (Zamari Hinton - Sacramento State & Cayla Brown - Coppin State) as the "toughest player to strikeout in all of NCAA Division I softball."
- Scoring in the first inning leads to success for Texas in 2018 as the Longhorns are a perfect 6-0 when tallying in the opening frame. UT scored nine combined runs in the first inning over the initial two match-ups during the three-game sweep of Kansas (March 23-25).
- After starting off the 2018 season on fire at the plate and then cooling off, freshman second baseman Janae Jefferson has started heating back up over the last nine contests, leading the squad with a .462 average (12-for-26) over that stretch while posting an active career-long nine-game hitting streak.
- Redshirt junior pitcher Erica Wright is making the save her own personal statistic so far in 2018 as the Huntington, Texas, native has already registered a Big 12-leading FOUR SAVES. She's one from tying the UT single-season record of five held by Amy Bradford (2002) and Christa Williams (1998) and two from tying the UT career record of seven held by Blaire Luna (2010-13) and Erin Tresselt (2007-10).
- With the second release of the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) on Monday, Texas discovered that its perfect 4-0 week (with wins over No. 25 Texas State and Kansas) had resulted in an 11-point jump as the Longhorns were rated No. 26 in the latest RPI. As of the first release on March 19, Texas had played the TOUGHEST NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE IN NCAA DIVISION I (out of 296 teams). That ranking is now down to No. 6, while UT's overall schedule strength is ranked No. 4.
- Janae Jefferson is Texas' most dependable hitter with runners in scoring position at a remarkable .435 (10-for-23) overall. That's even more impressive considering the Longhorns as a team are batting just .220 with RISP in 2018.
- Texas' schedule has been absolutely brutal so far in 2018 with 15 of its games coming against teams ranked or receiving votes in the national polls. UT is just 6-9 in those contests, but posted wins over No. 9/8 Arizona, No. 20 Michigan and No. 25 Texas State and lost to No. 1 Washington (2-1) and No. 18/17 South Carolina (1-0, 8 inn.) by a run.
- Texas has had much of its success this season hitting with two outs in an inning. In all, the Longhorns have scored 44 of their 86 total runs (51%) and registered 39 of their 76 total RBIs (51%) 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 12-2 when tallying more hits, 1-9 when out-hit by an opponent and 3-2 when the hits are tied.
- Three appears to be the magic number relating to wins for Texas this season as the Longhorns are 14-4 when holding opponents to fewer than three runs and 2-9 when the opposition scores three or more runs.
