The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Xavier
No. 13 Baseball preview: Xavier
03.28.2019 | Baseball
Longhorns back home at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
No. 13 TEXAS (17-11) vs. XAVIER (9-15)
March 29-31, 2019
Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field
Time: Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 5:30 p.m.; Sunday at 12 p.m. CT
TV: Longhorn Network
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn/1260 AM
Live stats: https://texassports.com/sidearmstats/baseball
All-time series: First meeting
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
FRIDAY—Texas So. RHP Bryce Elder (2-1, 1.98) vs. Xavier Sr. RHP Damien Richard (0-1, 9.98)
SATURDAY—Texas Jr. RHP Blair Henley (3-1, 3.74) vs. Xavier So. RHP Griffin Lanoue (2-1, 6.27)
SUNDAY—Texas Fr. RHP Coy Cobb (0-2, 3.70) vs. Xavier Jr. RHP Conor Grammes (1-5, 7.33)
GAME NOTES
THE MATCHUP—Texas and Xavier meet for the first time on the baseball diamond. The Musketeers are led by second year head coach Billy O'Connor, who played at Xavier in 2008-09. Xavier has played a tough schedule, with games against North Carolina, Louisville, Arizona State, Arizona and Kentucky. The Musketeers are also used to playing on the road, with 20 of their 24 games away from home.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—Texas has reached the halfway point of the regular season and just ended a grueling stretch. Playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation during the first four weeks of March, the Longhorns came out of that stretch with a 10-7 record and eight wins over nationally ranked teams. Now Texas is looking to bounce back after dropping three of the last four games. The Longhorns pitching staff has been the strength so far, with a 3.64 ERA and 229 strikeouts in 242 innings pitched. Opponents are batting just .225 against Texas pitchers.
HONORED—In five of the six weeks this season, Texas has had at least one player receive one of the Big 12 Conference weekly awards. This week Eric Kennedy was named the Player of the Week and Bryce Elder earned Pitcher of the Week. Kennedy batted .474/.583/.579 in five games against No. 11 Arkansas and No. 22 TCU. The outfielder registered a pair of four-hit games, including a 4-for-5 evening with a triple, three RBIs and three runs scored against TCU on Saturday. Elder pitched yet another gem, allowing just one run on five hits in a career high-tying eight innings pitched against No. 22 TCU. The sophomore struck out seven batters and forced a pair of double plays in the contest. He struck out the side in the second inning.
MARCH MADNESS—Throughout the month of March the Longhorns have tested themselves against some of the best teams in the country, playing 15 games against nationally ranked teams. The Longhorns swept LSU, won the series over Texas Tech, dropped series on the road at Stanford and TCU and split a pair of midweek games against Arkansas. Texas finished last week with a stretch of playing eight-straight games against ranked teams.
ONE-TWO PUNCH—The Longhorns' weekend rotation is anchored by two pitchers who have arguably been the most consistent arms on the staff. Bryce Elder has been outstanding, with a 1.98 ERA and a team-high 38 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings pitched. Blair Henley started slow but with his last four starts, has lowered his ERA to 3.74. He is second on the team with 30 strikeouts and opponents are batting just .233 against him.
YOUNG GUNS—Head Coach David Pierce's 2019 pitching staff is likely the youngest he has ever head, featuring seven freshmen (one redshirt) and five sophomores (one redshirt). All 12 of the underclassmen pitchers have already appeared in a game this season. Seven of the nine pitchers to have started a game for Texas this season are underclassmen. The young pitching staff has had ups and downs, and leads the Big 12 with 229 strikeouts but also has the most walks (121) and wild pitches (38).
NEXT UP—Texas will begin the month of April by hosting Texas A&M on April 2 at 6:30 p.m. at UFCU Disch-Falk Field The game, which is already sold out, will be broadcast on FS1. The Longhorns then head back on the road for a series at Baylor.
RANKED—Texas remains in the national rankings heading into the seventh week of the season. The Longhorns' rankings are: D1Baseball (#13), Baseball America (#7), NCBWA (#17), and USA Today Coaches Poll (#16).
WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS—Five Texas players have received weekly awards from the Big 12 Conference this season, including a pair of multiple-time honorees – Bryce Elder (Pitcher, Feb. 18), Coy Cobb (Newcomer, Feb. 25), Austin Todd (Player, March 4), Eric Kennedy (Newcomer, March 4), Masen Hibbeler (Player, March 18), Bryce Elder (Pitcher, March 25) and Eric Kennedy (Player, March 25).
PRESEASON ALL BIG 12—The Longhorns' top returning hitters, OF Duke Ellis and DH Zach Zubia, were named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team. Following the 2018 season – each of their first on the Forty Acres – both Ellis and Zubia were selected as All-Big 12 First Team members.
PRESEASON POLL—In the Big 12 preseason coaches' poll, Texas was selected to finish fourth behind preseason favorite Texas Tech (61), Baylor (58) and TCU (48). Last season, five of the nine Big 12 teams made the NCAA postseason.
DRAFTED—Texas saw five players selected in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft: INF Kody Clemens (Tigers, 3rd round, No. 79), RHP Nolan Kingham (Braves, 12th round, No. 354), RHP Chase Shugart (Red Sox, 12th round, No. 370), LHP Josh Sawyer (Cubs, 16th round, No. 488) and INF Andy McGuire (Blue Jays, 28th round, No. 836).
PIERCE TO THE POSTSEASON—Head Coach David Pierce has reached the NCAA postseason in each of his seven seasons as a head coach at Texas, Tulane, and Sam Houston State. Last season marked the skipper's first trip to the College World Series as a head coach. Pierce advanced to the College World Series four times as an assistant coach at Rice, including winning the 2003 National Championship.
PRO PARKS—Texas plays a pair of regular season games in professional ballparks this season. The Longhorns played Incarnate Word at Nelson Wolff Stadium, home of the Triple-A San Antonio Missions, on March 26. Texas plays at Whataburger Field, home of the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks, against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on April 30. Also for the 19th time, the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship will be played in Oklahoma City. The Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, home of the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, plays host to the event.
WATCH 'EM—All but one Texas home game will be broadcast on Longhorn Network this season. The team of Lowell Galindo, Keith Moreland, and Greg Swindell will return to the booth to call the action.
HEAR 'EM—In partnership with IMG-College, Texas games will be broadcast on the Austin Radio Network, primarily on 104.9 The Horn and AM 1260. Craig Way handles primary play-by-play duties alongside Roger Wallace and Quan Cosby.
