The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas Southern
No. 9 Softball preview: Longhorn Invitational
03.07.2019 | Softball
Texas welcomes in Texas Southern and No. 22/RV Minnesota for its final home tournament of 2019.
Texas Game Notes at the Longhorn Invitational
No. 9/10 Texas hosts the Longhorn Invitational | March 8-10 | Red & Charline McCombs Field, Austin, Texas
Schedule:
Friday, March 8
1:30 p.m. Texas Southern vs. #22/RV Minnesota – LONGHORN NETWORK
4:30 p.m. Texas Southern at #9/10 TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
7 p.m. #22/RV Minnesota at #9/10 TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
Saturday, March 9
12 p.m. Texas Southern at #9/10 TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
2:30 p.m. #22/RV Minnesota at #9/10 TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
5 p.m. #22/RV Minnesota vs. Texas Southern – LONGHORN NETWORK
Sunday, March 10
12 p.m. #22/RV Minnesota at #9/10 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: "Burnt Orange Weekend" – details below:
"Flashback Friday" – Free Texas softball Slinky to the first 200 fans (available at marketing table starting at 3:30 p.m. CT); Enjoy music from the 1960s until today
"Double Play Saturday" – Girl Scout Troops can purchase $3 tickets by calling 512-471-3333
"Sunday Funday" – Burnt Orange Bluegrass will be playing pregame on the plaza at McCombs Field from 10:45-11:30 a.m. CT; Texas Bingo; Kids Run the Bases postgame; Enjoy 1-2-3 concessions ($1 popcorn, $2 small soda, $3 hot dogs)
Location: Austin, Texas (Red & Charline McCombs Field)
Ticket Information: LINK
Live Stats: Available for every game of the Longhorn Invitational here: LINK
Television: Every game at the Longhorn Invitational is slated for broadcast on Longhorn Network with Tyler Denning (play-by-play) and Megan Willis (color) on the call.
Radio: Texas' games 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 this weekend 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 has won its last 20 straight non-conference home games dating back to March 4, 2018, while out-scoring opponents over that stretch by a staggering total of 130-12.
- Freshman pitcher Shealyn O'Leary hasn't allowed an earned run over her last 35.2 innings of work dating back to the second inning of her very first collegiate appearance against Boston College (2/10).
- O'Leary also tossed her first career no-hitter (the program's 47th all-time) on Wed., March 6, during game two of a doubleheader against Longwood (9-1, 5 inn.). That marked the first no-no by a Longhorns pitcher since Blaire Luna no-hit Florida State back on May 26, 2013. O'Leary is now the 12th Texas pitcher to have played a role in tossing at least one no-hitter in school history!
- Watch out for Texas during the fourth inning as the Longhorns have now outscored opponents in the frame, 46-6. Overall, UT has scored 32% of its total runs in the fourth inning this season.
- Texas' offense has out-hit 19-of-21 opponents this year while averaging 9.2 hits-per-game. The Longhorns have only been out-hit once this season in their loss to No. 8/7 LSU (trailed just 8-7 in hits during a 7-1 loss) and tied Tulsa in hits (4-4) during a 2-0 victory on Feb. 23.
- Junior utility player Shannon Rhodes is currently riding a team-high-tying 13-game reached base streak into the Longhorn Invitational. During the skein, the Fort Worth, Texas, native is batting .375 with a .462 on-base percentage.
- With 40 doubles through 21 games (1.90 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, Texas would finish a 56-game regular-season schedule with approximately 106 doubles.
- Watch out for Texas with two outs in an inning. So far through 21 games, the Burnt Orange & White are batting .370 (70-of-189) with 64 two-out RBIs (48% of the team's total RBIs have come with two outs this season). Reagan Hathaway, Shannon Rhodes & Kaitlyn Washington all lead the team with eight two-out RBIs each. Last weekend at the Sun Devil Classic, Texas registered a remarkable 19-of-32 total RBIs with two outs.
- The Longhorns have been strong this season with runners in scoring position, hitting .352 (76-of-216) in such instances. Lauren Burke leads the team with 11 hits while Janae Jefferson tops in average (.476, 10-for-21) in such situations.
- Texas' four transfers from Oregon have wasted no time making an impact as Miranda Elish, Shannon Rhodes, Mary Iakopo and Lauren Burke have combined for a .365 average (73-of-200) with 42 runs scored, 15 doubles, two triples, 10-OF-15 TEXAS HR'S and 62 RBIs over 21 games. Each member of the quartet is one of the current top four on the team in individual RBIs.
- Freshman pitcher Shealyn O'Leary is off to a perfect 6-0 opening to her collegiate career. With that effort, she has now surpassed former Longhorns pitchers Blaire Luna (2010) and Meagan Denny (2005) as the only Texas pitcher to ever start her UT career at 6-0. O'Leary has also allowed just ONE EARNED RUN over her first 36.2 collegiate innings of work.
- Texas sophomore second baseman Janae Jefferson now has enough at-bats to qualify for the Longhorns career record book. With a .414 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.
- Texas sophomore catcher Mary Iakopo is off to a tremendous start for the Longhorns. She has now reached base safely in 18-of-19 played games of her UT career.
- Texas is off to a strong opening both at the plate and in the circle this season. UT is currently FIRST in the Big 12 and 16th in the NCAA (as of March 4) in batting average (.358), and FIRST in the league and 11th in the country (as of March 4) in ERA (1.37). Sophomore second baseman Janae Jefferson leads the league in average (.478), while freshman Shealyn O'Leary (0.19) tops the Big 12 and ranks fourth in the NCAA in ERA (as of March 4).
- Some trends are developing for the Longhorns in 2019. UT is 13-0 in games when scoring first, 8-0 when scoring in the first inning and 17-2 when out-hitting opponents.
