The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
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Kansas
No. 9/12 Softball preview: Kansas
04.22.2021 | Softball
The Longhorns host the Jayhawks in a three-game Big 12 set over April 23-25
No. 9/12 Texas (32-6, 6-3 Big 12) hosts Kansas (22-17, 2-7 Big 12) | April 23-25 | Red & Charline McCombs Field, Austin, Texas
Schedule:
Friday, April 23
6:00pm Kansas vs. #9/12 TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
Saturday, April 24
4:00pm Kansas vs. #9/12 TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
Sunday, April 25
12:00pm Kansas vs. #9/12 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
Location: Austin, Texas (Red & Charline McCombs Field)
Live Stats: LINK
Television: All three games are slated for broadcast on Longhorn Network and WATCH ESPN with Alex Loeb (play-by-play) and Megan Willis (color).
Radio: Texas' games are scheduled for radio broadcast via web stream with Andrew Haynes on the call via this LINK. The Texas broadcast can also be heard locally on 105.3 FM as part of the Austin Radio Network supported by the flagship radio station of the Longhorns, 104.9 FM The Horn.
Base Knocks:
- There will be a couple of familiar faces in the Kansas dugout this weekend. Current KU coach Jen McFalls served as an assistant coach on the Longhorns staff from 2010-18, while former Texas player Kaitlyn Slack (2017-20) is currently serving as one of the Jayhawks' graduate managers.
- Sophomore pitcher Shea O'Leary is quickly becoming the team's late-game closer. The 6-2 right hander has made six appearances out of the bullpen this season, posting three saves while registering a 1.05 ERA, a 1-0 record and 13 strikeouts over 13.1 innings. During her career, O'Leary is 4-2 with a 1.01 ERA, four saves and 30 K's in 34.2 frames of relief work (16 appearances).
- Texas' offense has been prolific for the majority of the 2021 season as the Longhorns rank second in NCAA Division I (as of April 20) in team on-base percentage (.443), third in both batting average (.370) and slugging percentage (.627), eighth in HRs-per-game (1.65) and ninth in scoring (7.35).
- With 51 stolen bases so far, this marks the most swipes for a Texas team over its first 38 games of a season since stealing 64 over that stretch back in 2014 (went 82-of-99 that year).
- Junior second baseman Janae Jefferson is quickly closing in on the Texas career hits record. The Humble, Texas, native needs just 11 more hits to break Brejae Washington's (2011-14) UT career record of 254 hits.
- The Longhorns have now hit multiple HR's in a game on 19 separate occasions this season. Texas' season-high was five HR's during wins at Houston (March 3) and against Tarleton State (March 13)
- The 2010 Longhorns set the school single-season record with 88 HR's (had 55 after 38 games). This year's Texas squad is ahead of that pace with 64 HR's after 38 games. UT's 64 HR's this season are already the fourth-most in a single campaign in program history.
- Senior outfielder Kaitlyn Washington is within striking distance of a long-standing Texas career record. The Humble, Texas, native has 47 doubles, just two from surpassing Jodi Reeves' (1997-2000) program record mark of 48 doubles that has stood for more than 20 years.
- No player in Texas history has hit more HR's over the first 38 games of the year than senior Shannon Rhodes has in 2021 (14 HR's). The closest to the mark was Lindsey Stephens (11 HR's over the first 38 games of 2014).
- Over the past two seasons, Texas has posted a 56-9 overall record. Five of those nine losses have come by just one run. Texas hasn't lost at home by more than one run since April 20, 2019, against Oklahoma (L, 2-9). That's a stretch of 49 home contests.
- Senior outfielder Shannon Rhodes and junior catcher/third baseman Mary Iakopo love extra bases as 34 of their 78 combined hits this season have gone for extra bases (44%). Of Rhodes' 40 total hits, 19 have gone for extra bases (four doubles, one triple, 14 HR's), while of Iakopo's 38 hits, 15 have gone for extra bases (three doubles, 12 HR's).
- Watch out for Texas with two outs in an inning. So far through 38 games, the Burnt Orange & White are batting .371 (124-for-334) with 100 two-out RBIs (39% of the team's total RBIs have come with two outs this season). Mary Iakopo and Shannon Rhodes currently lead the squad with 14 two-out RBIs each, while 11 different Longhorns have recorded at least three two-out RBIs.
- Texas has been strong this season with runners in scoring position, hitting .368 (131-for-356) in such instances. Two-time All-American Janae Jefferson (15-32, .469) and sophomore Colleen Sullivan (14-33, .424) lead the team in hits, while seven different Longhorns have at least 10 hits with RISP.
- Texas is 19-1 when scoring in the first inning this season. Under the guidance of head coach Mike White, the Longhorns are an impressive 45-5 since the start of the 2019 campaign when scoring in the opening frame.
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