The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
#7/5 Oklahoma State
No. 11/13 Softball preview: NCAA Stillwater Super Regional
05.26.2021 | Softball
The Longhorns renew their rivalry with Oklahoma State with a trip to the WCWS on the line
No. 12-seed Texas (42-12) at the NCAA Stillwater Super Regional | May 28-30 | Cowgirl Stadium, Stillwater, Okla.
Schedule:
Friday, May 28
4 p.m. CT NO. 12-SEED TEXAS at No. 5-seed Oklahoma State – ESPN2
Saturday, May 29
3 p.m. CT No. 5-seed Oklahoma State vs. NO. 12-SEED TEXAS – ESPN
Sunday, May 30
5 p.m. CT NO. 12-SEED TEXAS at No. 5-seed Oklahoma State – ESPNU
(if necessary)
Location: Stillwater, Okla. (Cowgirl Stadium)
Live Stats: LINK
Television: The games will be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks (see above schedule for specifics) with Tiffany Greene (play-by-play) and Erin Miller (color) on the call.
Radio: All Texas games home & road 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:
- By winning the NCAA Austin Regional, No. 12 national seed Texas advanced to its sixth all-time NCAA Super Regional (2005, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2019, 2021). This marks just the second time that the Longhorns have had to go on the road for Supers after a visit to Tuscaloosa back in 2019. UT owns an 8-4 all-time record in the round and advanced on to the WCWS in 2005, 2006 and 2013 (made previous WCWS trips before supers existed in 1998 & 2003).
- Texas got impressive clutch pinch-hitting during the NCAA Austin Regional, going a perfect 5-for-5 (1.000) in such situations. Freshmen Courtney Day and Jordyn Whitaker each went 2-for-2 off the bench, while senior Kaitlyn Washington hit safely in her lone pinch hit appearance. Day leads the Longhorns in pinch hitting for the season at .500 (4-for-8).
- Senior outfielder Shannon Rhodes owns a .429 career NCAA Tournament batting average (36-84) with five HR's and 25 RBIs over 30 games. The Fort Worth, Texas, product is hitting .385 so far this year in NCAA play and batted .417 overall with three HR's and 11 RBIs during the entire 2019 NCAA Tournament. Included was a .467 mark with two HR's and six RBIs at the 2019 NCAA Austin Regional. While at Oregon, she was named MVP of the 2017 NCAA Eugene Regional.
- Junior second baseman Janae Jefferson is a truly remarkable table setter for the Longhorns. Facing any opportunity to leadoff an inning during 2021, the Humble, Texas, product is hitting a staggering .544 (37-for-68). She has also reached base safely in 44-of-48 games in 2021.
- Sophomore pitcher Shea O'Leary is quickly becoming the team's late-game closer. The 6-2 right hander has made nine appearances out of the bullpen this season, posting three saves while registering a 0.75 ERA, a 1-0 record and 16 strikeouts over 18.2 innings. During her career, O'Leary is 4-2 with a 0.88 ERA, four saves and 33 K's in 40 frames of relief work (19 appearances).
- Senior outfielder Shannon Rhodes has truly been one of the top offensive threats in the nation this season for the Longhorns as the Fort Worth, Texas, native currently ranks 15th in NCAA Division I in RBIs with 55. That RBI total is good for fourth all-time in a single-season in program history.
- The Longhorns have now hit multiple HR's in a game on 22 separate occasions this year. Texas' season-high was five HR's during wins at Houston (March 3) and against Tarleton State (March 13). Texas has also hit at least one HR in 37-of-54 contests this season.
- Three seems to be the magic number for Texas success as the Longhorns are 38-2 when scoring at least three times in a game this season & 4-10 when plating two-or-fewer runs.
- Texas is 23-2 when scoring in the first inning this season. Under the guidance of head coach Mike White, the Longhorns are an impressive 49-6 since the start of the 2019 campaign when scoring in the opening frame.
- The Longhorns have out-hit 38 of their 54 opponents in 2021 (37-1 this season when doing so). Since the arrival of head coach Mike White prior to the 2019 campaign, Texas is an impressive 98-12 when out-hitting an opponent.
- Watch out for Texas with two outs in an inning. So far through 54 games, the Burnt Orange & White are batting .335 (155-for-462) with 122 two-out RBIs (37% of the team's total RBIs have come with two outs this season). Shannon Rhodes currently leads UT with 15 two-out RBIs, while 13 different Longhorns have recorded at least three two-out RBIs.
