The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Boise State
Baseball preview: Boise State
02.20.2020 | Baseball
The Longhorns will host their first weekend series of the season, welcoming Boise State to UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
TEXAS (5-0, 0-0) vs. BOISE STATE (0-0, 0-0)
February 21-23, 2020
Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field
Time: Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m.; Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
TV: Longhorn Network
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn/1260 AM
Live stats: https://texassports.com/sidearmstats/baseball
All-time series: First Meeting
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY–Texas Jr. RHP Bryce Elder (1-0, 3.00) vs. Boise State R-So. LHP Travis Weston (0-0, 0.00)
SATURDAY–Texas So. RHP Ty Madden (1-0, 0.00) vs. Boise State Jr. RHP Mitch Lines (0-0, 0.00)
SUNDAY–Texas So. Coy Cobb (0-0, 2.08) vs. Boise State Jr. LHP Dawson Day (0-0, 0.00)
THE MATCHUP—The Longhorns will host their first weekend series of the season, welcoming Boise State to UFCU Disch-Falk Field. The Broncos will play their first baseball game in 40 years after the school last fielded a team in 1980. The Boise State roster features three players from the state of Texas, including two from the Austin area – Cole Posey (Georgetown) and Reagan Doss (Round Rock).
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—Texas Baseball started the season with a series sweep for the first time since 2009. The 2009 team won its first 11 games and ended the year as the national runner-up with a 50-16-1 record. The Longhorns entered the season with several fresh faces, including 13 true freshmen and three junior college transfers. Those 16 new faces pair up with 17 returning letterwinners. On offense, the Longhorns return their leading hitter from last season in outfielder Eric Kennedy. The pitching staff returns its ace in Bryce Elder and a number of young pitchers that contributed in 2019.
NEXT UP—The Longhorns will close their six-game homestand at UFCU Disch-Falk Field against Sam Houston State on Tuesday, Feb. 25. Texas then heads back to Houston for the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic at Minute Maid Park.
CATCHING TANDEM—Senior DJ Petrinsky and Freshman Silas Ardoin have evenly split the catching duties through the first week of the season. The pair have done a nice job, with no passed balls or stolen bases allowed and only one wild pitch charged to the pitching staff. With the duo behind the plate, the pitching staff has compiled a 1.80 combined ERA through the first five games.
HISTORY MAKERS—As part of Texas Athletics celebration of Black History Month, Texas Baseball will wear commemorative Nike warmup shirts on Saturday, Feb. 22. Designed to honor Texas' first Black student-athletes, the shirts feature a special "History Makers" mark. Andre Robertson, the first African American to earn a baseball scholarship at The University of Texas, will be recognized.
TULO—Longhorns' Head Coach David Pierce made a splash during the offseason, with the hiring of 13-year Major League Baseball shortstop and five-time All-Star Troy Tulowitzki as an assistant coach. Tulowitzki, who was also a two-time All-American at Long Beach State, will coach the infielders and work with the hitters, alongside Philip Miller. With the hire of Tulowitzki, assistant coach Sean Allen assumes the role of pitching coach, a role he last held as an assistant at Florida International University from 2008-11. Texas also added Longhorn Legend and two-time MLB All-Star Huston Street to the staff as a student assistant.
THE FRESHMEN—Eight Longhorn freshmen have already played debuted through the first week of the season, including three who have played every day. Brenden Dixon, Trey Faltine and Douglas Hodo III have started every game and they each recorded a home run for their first career hit. Andre Duplantier II and Pete Hansen have each made multiple relief outings and are yet to allow a run. In addition to the freshmen, the Longhorns' three junior college transfers made their debut – INF Murphy Stehly, INF Cam Williams and RHP Dawson Merryman.
DRAFTED—Texas saw three players selected in the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft: RHP Blair Henley (Astros, 7th round, No. 226), INF David Hamilton (Brewers, 8th round, No. 253) and INF Ryan Reynolds (Cubs, 14th round, No. 432).
PRESEASON PICKS—Junior right-handed pitcher Bryce Elder and sophomore outfielder Eric Kennedy were named to the 2020 Preseason All-Big 12 team. Elder was one of three unanimous selections to the team and Kennedy was one of only three sophomores selected. A second-team selection to the 2019 All-Big 12 team, Elder finished the year with a 2.93 ERA in 83 innings pitched. He led the Longhorns with 86 strikeouts and nine quality starts. The Longhorns' leading hitter as a freshman in 2019, Kennedy batted .310 with eight doubles, three triples and two home runs. During his debut season on the Forty Acres, he scored 41 runs and had 28 RBI to go with nine stolen bases.
THE SCHEDULE—The 2020 schedule features 32 home games at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, including a marquee non-conference series with Cal State Fullerton, March 6-8. In addition to 32 home games, Longhorn fans from around the state of Texas will have an opportunity to see the team play. Texas will play seven total games in Houston, with a season-opening series at Rice before returning two weeks later for the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic at Minute Maid Park. In Big 12 Conference play, the Longhorns will host Oklahoma State, Baylor, TCU and Kansas and travel to Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Kansas State and West Virginia.
HONORING A LEGEND—Longhorn Legend Huston Street will have his jersey number retired during the 2020 season. A three-time All-American and the 2002 College World Series Most Outstanding Player, Street becomes the seventh former Texas Baseball star to have his jersey retired. One of the greatest closers in college baseball history, Street holds the Texas record with 41 career saves and ranks 13th in NCAA Division I history in career saves. His 1.31 career ERA ranks second all-time at Texas and his .172 opponents' batting average is the third-best in Longhorn history In his three-year career at Texas, Street made 105 appearances and pitched 178.1 innings. He struck out 177 batters and posted an 18-3 record to go along with his 41 saves.
PACKING THE HOUSE—Last season Texas set and re-set attendance records at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Longhorn fans showed up in droves to see Texas host Texas A&M on April 2, 2019, establishing a new regular season record crowd of 7,952. The April 2 crowd topped the previous regular season record of 7,879, set earlier in the season against Texas Tech (3/16/19). The total attendances for the three-game series against LSU (22,434) and Texas Tech (22,729) were also program records. Texas ranked sixth in the country, and first in the Big 12, in total attendance (175,768) and average attendance (5,493) last season. The Longhorns have led the Big 12 in attendance for 14-consecutive seasons.
HEAR 'EM—In partnership with Learfield 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.
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.
