The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
McNeese State
No. 10/11 Softball preview: at McNeese State & No. 14 Louisiana
03.15.2021 | Softball
The Longhorns head back to Louisiana for three combined match-ups against the Cowgirls & Ragin Cajuns
No. 10/11 Texas (15-2) visits McNeese State (10-13) & No. 14 Louisiana (13-4) | March 16-17 | Lake Charles & Lafayette, La.
Schedule:
Tuesday, March 16
6:30pm #10/11 TEXAS at McNeese State – LIVE VIDEO
Wednesday, March 17
4:00pm #10/11 TEXAS at #14 Louisiana – ESPN+
6:30pm #10/11 TEXAS at #14 Louisiana – ESPN+
Location: Lake Charles & Lafayette, La.
Live Stats: McNeese State | Louisiana Game 1 | Louisiana Game 2
Television: The game at McNeese State will be shown live via web stream (paid subscription required) through McNeeseSports.com. The doubleheader at Louisiana will be broadcast live on ESPN+ (paid subscription required).
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 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:
- No player in Texas history has hit more HR's over the first 17 games of the year than senior Shannon Rhodes has in 2021 (nine HR's). The closest to the mark was Lindsey Stephens, who hit seven HR's over the initial 17 contests in 2014.
- Sophomore catcher/first baseman Colleen Sullivan has been red-hot at the plate over the past nine games, batting .632 (12-for-19) with two doubles, her first two Texas HR's and seven RBIs while posting a 1.749 OPS. The Poway, Calif., native is currently riding a career-high 15-game reached base streak and rates second on the Longhorns with a .471 overall batting average (16-for-34) in 2021.
- The 2010 Longhorns set the school single-season record with 88 HR's (had 30 after 17 games). This year's Texas squad is just ahead of their pace with 32 total HR's after 17 games.
- Sophomore shortstop McKenzie Parker has now reached base by hit, walk or fielder's choice in nine of her last 10 plate appearances. Included was a career-high 4-for-4, five-RBI effort in the 21-5 (5 inn.) win over Tarleton State (March 13).
- Shannon Rhodes is on a Texas single-season record HR pace, averaging a HR every 5.7 AB's. During her record 2012 campaign, Taylor Hoagland hit 18 HRs - one every 9.9 ABs.
- Texas is getting great production out of its pinch hitters this season as the group has combined to hit .375 (9-for-24) in such situations. Leading the charge is freshman Courtney Day at 2-for-4.
- Longhorns rookie catcher/first baseman JJ Smith has gotten the most out of each of her at-bats so far over her brief career by going 8-for-15 (.533) at the plate with six extra-base hits and a 1.067 slugging mark.
- Senior outfielder Shannon Rhodes and junior catcher/third baseman Mary Iakopo love extra bases as 21 of their 32 combined hits this season have gone for extra bases. Of Rhodes' 19 total hits, 13 have gone for extra bases (two doubles, one triple, seven HR's), while of Iakopo's 13 hits, eight have gone for extra bases (eight HR's).
- Watch out for Texas with two outs in an inning. So far through 17 games, the Burnt Orange & White are batting .399 (63-for-158) with 56 two-out RBIs (42% of the team's total RBIs have come with two outs this season). Shannon Rhodes currently leads the squad with nine two-out RBIs, while 10 different Longhorns have recorded at least three two-out RBIs.
- Texas has been strong this season with runners in scoring position, hitting .385 (69-for-179) in such instances. Two-time All-American Janae Jefferson (10-20, .500) leads the team with 10 hits, while sophomore Colleen Sullivan (9-16, .563) is right behind at nine hits with RISP.
- Texas is 11-0 when scoring in the first inning this season. Under the guidance of head coach Mike White, the Longhorns are an impressive 37-4 since the start of the 2019 campaign when scoring in the opening frame.
- Look out for the Texas offense getting off to a quick start as the Longhorns have now outscored their 2021 opponents by a total of 94-21 over the first three innings, including 38-9 during the second inning.
- The Longhorns have out-hit 12 of their first 17 opponents in 2021. Since the arrival of head coach Mike White prior to the 2019 campaign, Texas is an impressive 73-11 when out-hitting an opponent.
- With a first-inning single against BYU (March 13), senior outfielder Shannon Rhodes joined teammate Janae Jefferson in becoming a member of the 200-career-hit club this season. Jefferson reached 200 career hits on a first-inning bunt single against Lamar (Feb. 26) & needs just 34 more hits to break Brejae Washington's (2011-14) UT career record of 254 hits.
- Until failing to reach base in the second game at No. 13/12 LSU (March 6), junior second baseman Janae Jefferson had reached base safely in 27 straight games dating back to the 2020 season. It was the longest such skein of the two-time All-American's decorated career and tied former Longhorns standout Taylor Hoagland (April 29, 2010-Feb. 27, 2011) for the fourth-longest streak in program history. Jefferson has now reached safely in 16-of-17 games in 2021.
- Senior outfielder Kaitlyn Washington is within striking distance of a long-standing Texas career record. The Humble, Texas, native has 46 doubles, just three from surpassing Jodi Reeves' (1997-2000) program record mark of 48 doubles that has stood for more than 20 years.
