The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
West Virginia
No. 2 Baseball preview: West Virginia
05.19.2021 | Baseball
The Longhorns return to action, hosting West Virginia for the final regular-season series.
#2 TEXAS (38-12, 15-6) vs. WEST VIRGINIA (22-23, 7-14)
May 20-22, 2021
Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field
Time: Thursday at 6:30 p.m.; Friday at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
TV: Longhorn Network
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn/1260 AM
Live stats: https://texassports.com/sidearmstats/baseball
All-time series with WVU: West Virginia leads, 13-8
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
THURSDAY–Texas RHP Ty Madden (6-2, 2.27) vs. WVU LHP Jackson Wolf (4-5, 3.13)
FRIDAY–Texas RHP Tristan Stevens (7-3, 3.11) vs. WVU LHP Ben Hampton (4-2, 4.08)
SATURDAY–Texas LHP Pete Hansen (6-1, 1.83) vs. WVU RHP Carlson Reed (4-4, 5.64)
THE MATCHUP—Texas hosts West Virginia in the final series of the regular season ahead of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship. The Longhorns hit the field after an extended layoff, playing for the first time since May 9 after their Tuesday contest against Rice was canceled due to inclement weather and their previous game against Texas Southern was called in the fourth inning due to thunderstorms in the Austin area. Prior to that, Texas defeated then-No. 3 and Big 12 leader TCU in a weekend series, winning the rubber match in Fort Worth, 9-3. The Mountaineers arrive in Austin on a five-game winning streak including a doubleheader sweep of Dayton in Morgantown on Sunday. Texas and West Virginia last met in 2019, with the Mountaineers winning the series but the Longhorns prevailing in the series finale, 10-2.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—Texas sits one game out of first with a Big 12 Conference record of 15-6 and are 38-9 over its last 47 games. The duo of Ivan Melendez and Zach Zubia are leading the Longhorns offensively. Melendez leads Texas with 10 home runs and a .361 batting average and has 41 RBI and a 1.143 OPS, while Zubia has nine home runs, 47 RBI and a .445 on-base percentage with a 1.003 OPS. On the mound, Pete Hansen (1.83), Ty Madden (2.27), and Tristan Stevens (3.11) all rank in the top seven in ERA in the Big 12, while Stevens' seven wins lead the conference.
MOUND PRESENCE—The Texas pitching staff has been among the most dominant groups in the nation. Three Texas starters rank in the top-seven in the Big 12 Conference in earned run average, with Pete Hansen leading the conference with a 1.83 ERA. Ty Madden sits in fourth with a 2.27 ERA, Tristan Stevens' 3.11 ERA ranks seventh. As a staff, the Longhorns have the third-best ERA in the nation at 2.92, a mark that leads the conference by more than half a run.
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 149 assists and ranks third with 26 double plays while sporting a .972 fielding percentage in 217 chances.
MAKING A BIG IMPRESSION—After a relatively quiet start to the season, Ivan Melendez caught fire in the month of April. Last month, Melendez hit .412 with eight doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 27 RBI and 16 runs scored. In that span, he compiled a .529 on-base percentage and .912 slugging percentage for an OPS of 1.441. He raised his batting average from .263 to .344 during the 19 games. From April 3-11, he established a program-record six-game home run streak that culminated with a pair of bombs against Kansas State on April 11. For the season, Melendez ranks sixth in the Big 12 Conference in batting average (.361), eighth in home runs (10) and 11th in RBI (42). The redshirt sophomore's .680 slugging percentage and 463 on-base percentage are fourth in the conference. During April, Melendez's distinctions have included Big 12 Player of the Week, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Hitter of the Week, and Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week.
MR. CONSISTENT—With a three-hit afternoon, including a pair of home runs, in the series finale at TCU, Zach Zubia extended his streak of reaching base safely to 26 games. He was also named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week following the series win. During the streak, Zubia has hit .348 with five doubles, two triples, six home runs and 25 RBI, while walking an incredible 27 times for a .504 on-base percentage. Zubia has 10 multi-hit games and seven multi-walk games during the run, including three three-hit games, one three-walk and one four-walk game. On the season, the redshirt junior's 40 walks are fourth in the Big 12 Conference and rank 28th in the NCAA, and his .445 on-base percentage is 10th in the conference.
DALY GETTING IT DONE—Mitchell Daly has been on a tear at the plate, hitting safely in 34 of the 42 games he has started this season with 13 multi-hit games, including two three-hit games and a four-hit game, while reaching base safely in 39 of those starts. Daly's .344 battings average ranks 12th in the Big 12 Conference. The freshman is currently second on the Longhorns in batting average and hits (52), while sitting third in doubles (12) and on-base percentage (.406), and fifth in OPS (.870) and slugging percentage (.464).
QUICKER THAN QUICK—Mike Antico leads the Big 12 Conference and is 11th nationally with 24 stolen bases. Eric Kennedy is right behind him with 17 steals to rank third in the conference. As a team, the Longhorns have swiped 64 bases, which is third in the conference and ranks 41st in the nation. Additionally, Kennedy uses his speed regularly to get on base with 22 infield singles, including 12 bunt hits this season. In his career he has 46 infield hits (24 bunts).
DOUBLE UP—Cam Williams and Trey Faltine have each hit 14 doubles, a mark that is tied for 10th in the Big 12, while Mitchell Daly's 12 two-baggers rank 17th. As a squad, the Longhorns' 96 doubles ranked third in the conference.
COMMANDING THE ZONE—Tristan Stevens' command has been on point this season, yielding only eight walks over his last 63 innings pitched. Prior to issuing a walk to open the sixth inning at Oklahoma State on April 24, Stevens had gone 113 batters (28 1/3 innings) without relinquished a free pass. Stevens' seven wins on the year lead the Big 12 Conference.
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. The right-hander leads the Big 12 Conference in hits allowed per nine innings (6.09) and opponent batting average (.192), while ranking second in WHIP (1.05), third in innings pitched (75.1), and fourth in ERA (2.27) and fourth in strikeouts (89). Madden's six wins are tied for third in the conference.
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.
WATCH 'EM—All of Texas' home games will be broadcast on Longhorn Network this season. The team of Keith Moreland and Greg Swindell will return to the booth to call the action.
