The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
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Kansas
No. 5 Baseball preview: at Kansas
03.31.2021 | Baseball
The Longhorns travel to Kansas for a Big 12 Conference series that gets started Thursday.
TEXAS (17-8, 4-2) at KANSAS (15-8, 1-2)
April 1-3, 2021
Where: Hoglund Ballpark
Time: Thursday–6 p.m.; Friday–6 p.m.; Saturday–1 p.m.
TV: ESPN+
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn/1260 AM
Live stats: Kansas.Statbroadcast.com
All-time series: Texas leads, 52-29
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY–Texas RHP Ty Madden (3-1, 1.83) vs. Kansas RHP Ryan Cyr (3-2, 4.78)
SATURDAY–Texas RHP Tristan Stevens (3-1, 3.93) vs. Kansas RHP Cole Larsen (4-1, 0.86)
SUNDAY–Texas RHP Kolby Kubichek (2-2, 3.21) vs. Kansas LHP Eli Davis (3-2, 4.45)
THE MATCHUP—Texas travels to Kansas to face the Jayhawks in a three-game Big 12 Conference tilt. Texas leads the all-time series 52-29, but has lost the last four games, including a sweep in Kansas in 2019. Prior to the four-game skid, the Longhorns had won the four-straight and seven of nine games.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—Texas dropped a 2-0 decision to Texas A&M on Tuesday after completing a 3-1 homestand last week. During the homestand Texas defeated UIW 10-1 on Tuesday and won two-of-three games against Oklahoma over the weekend. Against Oklahoma, Texas secured wins in the first two games of the series before dropping the series finale. Friday's game went into extra innings, with Douglas Hodo III hitting a game-winning double in the 11th to pull out the victory, 4-3. On Saturday, Cam Williams crushed a pair of home runs, one from each side of the plate, with the Longhorns combining to hit four home runs in an 11-6 victory. Zach Zubia homered in each of the wins. Texas has won five-straight series to open the season and 17 of its last 21 games.
THE ACE—Ty Madden has been brilliant this season, twice earning Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week honors, including following his 14-strikeout, complete game shutout outing on March 5 against Houston. That performance also garnered nods as the NCBWA and Perfect Game National Pitcher of the Week, one of Collegiate Baseball's National Players of The Week and one of four nominees for the Golden Spikes Award Performance of the Week. Madden is second in the Big 12 and ranks 13th nationally with 50 strikeouts this season. He leads the conference in hits allowed per nine innings (4.58) and opponent batting average (.149), and is tied for the lead in games started (6), while ranking second in innings pitched (39.1), third in WHIP (0.86), seventh in wins (3) and ERA (1.83).
HAMMER KEEPS HAMMERING—Cam Williams smashed home runs from each side of the plate against Oklahoma on Saturday, increasing his team-leading total to six on the season. Williams currently leads the team in total bases (49) and slugging percentage (.544) and is tied for the team lead in double (8). He is sitting second on the squad in hits (23), RBI (22) and OPS (.877). Williams' six home runs and eight doubles are tied for fourth in the Big 12 Conference, while his 49 total bases are tied for 10th.
DALY GETTING IT DONE—Mitchell Daly has been on a tear at the plate, hitting safely in 13 of the last 14 games. He has four multi-hit games in the last seven, raising his batting average to .393, an 87-point increase over that span. Daly ranks third in the Big 12 Conference in batting average and 9th in on-base percentage (.462). Last week against Incarnate Word and Oklahoma, Daly went 7-for-12 (.583), with three doubles, three RBI, four walks and a .688 OBP. Daly currently leads the squad in batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS (.998), is second in slugging percentage (.536), and tied for third in hits (22).
FLASHING THE LEATHER—Trey Faltine has been a human highlight reel this season, making the difficult look routine. The Longhorns shortstop leads the Big 12 with 72 assists and is tied for 9th with 11 double plays while sporting a .972 fielding percentage in 106 chances.
QUICKER THAN QUICK—Mike Antico and Eric Kennedy are tied for the Big 12 Conference lead and rank 17th nationally with 11 stolen bases. As a team, the Longhorns have swiped 37 bases, which is second in the conference and ranks 17th in the nation. Additionally Kennedy uses his speed regularly to get on base with 10 infield singles, including six bunt hits this season.
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 Keith Moreland
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