The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Iowa State
No. 10 Softball preview: vs. Iowa State
03.21.2019 | Softball
The Longhorns kick-off the Big 12 Conference campaign by hosting the Cyclones.
No. 10/11 Texas (26-6) hosts Iowa State (17-10) | March 22-24 | Red & Charline McCombs Field, Austin, Texas
Schedule:
Friday, March 22
6 p.m. CT Iowa State at #10/11 TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
Saturday, March 23
1 p.m. CT Iowa State at #10/11 TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
Sunday, March 24
12 p.m. CT Iowa State at #10/11 TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
TEXAS CLEAR BAG POLICY: Please note that there is a Clear Bag Policy in effect for fans when attending Texas Athletic events. For more details, please visit this LINK
PARKING: Fans can purchase parking in the East Campus Garage for $5 here: LINK
PROMOTIONS: Fans are encouraged to wear PINK on Saturday to support breast cancer awareness - the first 250 fans in attendance will receive pink pompoms.
Location: Austin, Texas (Red & Charline McCombs Field)
Ticket Information: LINK
Live Stats: LINK
Television: All three weekend games will be broadcast live on Longhorn Network with Tyler Denning (play-by-play) and Megan Willis (color) on the call.
Radio: All Texas games home & road 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 (Friday's game against Iowa State will be on AM 1260/101.9 FM), part of the Austin Radio Network supported by the flagship radio station of the Longhorns, 104.9 FM The Horn.
Base Knocks:
- Texas enters Friday with a 15-7 all-time mark in Big 12 openers and has won nine of its last 11 (beat Kansas in 2018, 10-2 in 5 inn.). UT has faced Iowa State to begin the league campaign on two previous occasions (1999 & 2003) and owns a 2-0 record in those match-ups against the Cyclones.
- The Longhorns lead their all-time series against Iowa State by a commanding total of 53-3, including 22-3 in Austin. Two of the Cyclones' three victories came during their last visit to McCombs Field back over April 21-23, 2017.
- The Texas pitching staff has tossed three consecutive shutouts for the first time since April 28-May 3, 2017, and hasn't allowed a run over its last 21.1 innings of work.
- Texas freshman pitcher Shealyn O'Leary currently LEADS ALL OF NCAA DIVISION I IN ERA AT 0.38. The rookie starter has allowed just three earned runs in her first 55.2 innings of collegiate work. The Castaic, Calif., native is also currently riding a streak of 12.1 consecutive scoreless innings.
- Texas was listed at No. 5 in the first release of the NCAA's Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) on Monday. UT has played the eighth-toughest schedule in the nation and owns 15 victories over current RPI Top 100 opponents (eight over RPI Top 25).
- Sophomore second baseman Janae Jefferson currently leads the Big 12 Conference & rates second in all of NCAA Division I in hits with 44 (as of March 18). The Humble, Texas, native trails national leader Breanna Roper of Georgia Tech (45) by just one hit.
- With 45 stolen bases so far, this marks the most swipes for a Texas team over its first 32 games of a season since stealing 54 over that stretch back in 2014 (went 82-of-99 that year).
- Look out for Texas during the fourth inning as the Longhorns have now outscored opponents in the frame, 63-8. Overall, UT has scored 31% of its total runs in the fourth inning this season.
- Texas owns nine wins over teams that were either ranked or receiving votes in one/both the NFCA or USA Softball polls at time of playing. Included on the resume are victories over No. 6/5 Tennessee, No. 18/21 Kentucky, No. 15/17 Arizona State and No. 22/RV Minnesota.
- Several Longhorns have already reached or are set to join the 100 CAREER-HIT-CLUB this season. Sophomore second baseman Janae Jefferson (118 hits) and junior first baseman Kaitlyn Washington (104 hits) have recently reached the mark, while redshirt junior outfielder Reagan Hathaway (97 hits) and junior catcher Taylor Ellsworth (93 hits) are closing in.
- With 12 run-rule wins already in 2019, the Longhorns are just two from tying the 2011 & 2014 Texas squads (14) for the most run-rule victories in a single-season in school history.
- Watch out for Texas with two outs in an inning. So far through 32 games, the Burnt Orange & White are batting .339 (94-of-277) with 81 two-out RBIs (45% of the team's total RBIs have come with two outs this season). Shannon Rhodes, Lauren Burke and Reagan Hathaway lead the team with 10 two-out RBIs each.
- With 60 doubles through 32 games (1.88 doubles-per-game), the Longhorns are well ahead of the pace needed to break the school single-season mark of 86 doubles set by the 2012 team. Maintaining its current pace over the next 24 games, Texas would finish a 56-game regular-season schedule with approximately 105 doubles.
- Texas' offense has out-hit 27-of-32 opponents this year while averaging 8.8 hits-per-game. The Longhorns have lost two of the four games in which they've been out-hit - No. 8/7 LSU and vs. No. 22/RV Minnesota.
- The Longhorns have been strong this season with runners in scoring position, hitting .331 (106-of-320) in such instances. Lauren Burke leads the team with 16 hits while Reagan Hathaway leads in average (.417) in such situations.
- Texas sophomore second baseman Janae Jefferson now has enough at-bats to qualify for the Longhorns career record book. With a .413 career batting average, she currently sits FIRST all-time in UT history ahead of second-place Lexy Bennett's (2009-12) career mark of .385.
- Some trends are developing for the Longhorns in 2019. UT is 19-0 in games when scoring first, 11-1 when scoring in the first inning and 23-4 when out-hitting opponents.
