The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
#11/9 Oklahoma State
No. 7/12 Softball preview: No. 11/9 Oklahoma State
04.29.2021 | Softball
A high-profile Big 12 series is set for this weekend as the Longhorns host the nationally-ranked Cowgirls
No. 7/12 Texas (35-6, 9-3 Big 12) hosts No. 11/9 Oklahoma State (36-6, 11-1 Big 12) | April 30-May 2 | Red & Charline McCombs Field, Austin, Texas
Schedule:
Friday, April 30
4:30pm #11/9 Oklahoma State vs. #7/12 TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
Saturday, May 1
12:00pm #11/9 Oklahoma State vs. #7/12 TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
Sunday, May 2
12:00pm #11/9 Oklahoma State vs. #7/12 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:
- Junior second baseman Janae Jefferson is quickly closing in on the Texas career hits record. With 247 career hits entering this weekend, the Humble, Texas, native needs just EIGHT more to break Brejae Washington's (2011-14) UT career record of 254 hits.
- Junior utility player Lauren Burke picked up her second career nod on Monday (April 26) as the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week after hitting .400 with two doubles and eight RBIs during last week's wins over Texas State and Kansas.
- Over the past two seasons, Texas has posted a 59-9 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 52 home contests.
- The Longhorns have now hit multiple HR's in a game on 20 separate occasions this year. Texas' season-high was five HR's during wins at Houston (March 3) and against Tarleton State (March 13).
- Sophomore pitcher Shea O'Leary is quickly becoming the team's late-game closer. The 6-2 right hander has made seven appearances out of the bullpen this season, posting three saves while registering a 1.00 ERA, a 1-0 record and 13 strikeouts over 14.0 innings. During her career, O'Leary is 4-2 with a 0.99 ERA, four saves and 30 K's in 35.1 frames of relief work (17 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 28) in team on-base percentage (.446), third in both batting average (.369) and slugging percentage (.631), seventh in scoring (7.44) and eighth in HRs-per-game (1.66).
- With 55 stolen bases so far, this marks the most swipes for a Texas team over its first 41 games of a season since stealing 66 over that stretch back in 2014 (went 82-of-99 that year).
- The 2010 Longhorns set the school single-season record with 88 HR's (had 58 after 41 games). This year's Texas squad is ahead of that pace with 68 HR's after 41 games. UT's 68 HR's this season are already the fourth-most in a single campaign in program history.
- Senior outfielder Kaitlyn Washington remains 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 41 games of the year than senior Shannon Rhodes has in 2021 (15 HR's). The closest to the mark was Lindsey Stephens (13 HR's over the first 41 games of 2014).
