The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
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Kansas
No. 24/23 Softball preview: at Kansas
03.24.2022 | Softball
The Longhorns head north to Lawrence, Kan., to open Big 12 Conference play
No. 24/23 Texas (23-9-1) at Kansas (10-15) | March 25-27 | Arrocha Ballpark, Lawrence, Kan.
Schedule:
Friday, March 25
6 p.m. #24/23 TEXAS at Kansas
Saturday, March 26
2 p.m. #24/23 TEXAS at Kansas
Sunday, March 27
12 p.m. #24/23 TEXAS at Kansas
Location: Lawrence, Kan. (Arrocha Ballpark)
Ticket Information: LINK
Live Stats: GAME 1 | GAME 2 | GAME 3
Television: No TV broadcasts are currently scheduled
Radio: Texas' games this season 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:
- Texas enters Friday with a 17-7 all-time record in Big 12 Conference openers and having won three straight. UT has played Kansas six previous times (2018, 2015, 2011, 2005, 2001, 2000) to begin the league season (5-1 mark) and is 1-1 when opening the Big 12 on the road in Lawrence.
- Kansas head coach Jennifer McFalls served as an assistant coach for the Longhorns from 2010-18.
- Texas senior pitcher Hailey Dolcini has been on a roll recently having allowed just two total hits over her last 16.1 innings of work dating back to March 16 at No. 23/RV Louisiana.
- Junior designated player McKenzie Parker has recently made heroic efforts almost a daily occurrence. The reigning Big 12 Conference Co-Player of the Week (March 22) delivered a clutch 3-2, two-out, two-RBI walk-off double to complete UT's rally from a 10-4 deficit to an 11-10 win over LSU (March 19). She then followed that up on March 23 by blasting a two-out, two-run, seventh-inning HR to center to finish a rally from an early 2-0 hole to a 4-2 win at Texas State.
- Texas has shown a penchant for rallies during the 2022 campaign. In all, the Longhorns have now battled back to win or tie after trailing at any point in a game on EIGHT OCCASIONS this season
- The Longhorns currently rank No. 12 in the latest Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) that's used as one of the tools to seed postseason play and are No. 18 in strength of schedule.
- Texas is currently riding a season-long, 13-game unbeaten run (12-0-1) dating back to March 6 and has won five consecutive games against ranked opponents in a single season for the first time since Feb. 24-March 6, 2013.
- Texas senior second baseman Janae Jefferson continues to excel from the leadoff spot in the lineup as the three-time NFCA All-American is batting .452 as the leadoff of any inning in 2022, going 19-for-42 at the plate in those situatiions.
- Texas' defense has settled in since a tough night against UCF, posting a .975 fielding percentage while making just 15 total errors over the last 23 games (14 no-error efforts).
- Sophomore pitcher Estelle Czech has played a huge role in Texas' current 13-game unbeaten run, with a 5-0 record, a 1.99 ERA, two complete games and 30 K's over 31.2 innings while allowing a .203 batting average. Included are W's over North Texas, Drake, No. 23 Louisiana & No. 20/18 LSU (two).
- Texas junior designated player McKenzie Parker has caught fire at the plate since returning from injury to the regular lineup on March 9. The Conroe, Texas, native is riding a 16-game reached base streak. Over the 16-game streak, Parker is hitting .405 with three doubles, three HR's & 18 RBIs.
- Look out for Texas' offense this season with two outs in an inning. In all, 76 of the Longhorns' 179 total RBIs (42%) have come with two outs, while 14 different Texas players have recorded at least one two-out RBI with senior catcher/first baseman Mary Iakopo leading the way with 11.
- The Longhorns are off to a fast start in 2022 as far as stolen bases go. Texas' 58 steals are the most over the first 33 games of a season since the 2014 Texas squad also swiped 54 bags over that same stretch.
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