The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oklahoma
No. 8 Baseball preview: at Oklahoma
03.31.2022 | Baseball
The Longhorns head back on the road for the second-consecutive Big 12 Conference series.
#8 TEXAS (19-8, 1-2) at OKLAHOMA (15-8, 2-1)
April 1-3, 2022
Where: Globe Life Field (Arlington)
Time: Friday at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday at 12 p.m.; Sunday at 12 p.m.
TV: SoonerSports.TV/ESPN2/ESPN
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn/1260 AM
Live stats: Oklahoma.statbroadcast.com
All-time series with Oklahoma: Texas leads, 154-63-2
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY–Texas LHP Pete Hansen (4-0, 2.83) vs. OU LHP Jake Bennett (2-0, 1.45)
SATURDAY–Texas RHP Tristan Stevens (4-1, 3.23) vs. OU RHP David Sandlin (2-2, 6.35)
SUNDAY–Texas LHP Lucas Gordon (2-1, 1.59) vs. OU LHP Chazz Martinez (2-2, 4.45)
THE MATCHUPS—The Longhorns head back on the road for the second-consecutive weekend in Big 12 Conference play. This will also be the fourth weekend away from UFCU Disch-Falk Field since the beginning of March. Texas went 3-1 against Oklahoma last season, winning the series at home and later eliminating the Sooners from the Big 12 tournament in Oklahoma City. Since the 2016 season, the Longhorns hold a 10-8 advantage in the rivalry series.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—Texas heads into the month of April after a grueling March in which the Longhorns went 11-8 with 13 games away from UFCU Disch-Falk Field. The offensive production was outstanding during the month, batting .332 as a team with 47 doubles, four triples and 38 homers. In March, the Longhorns averaged more than eight runs per game, homered in 18-of-19 games and had 10 multiple-homer games. The pitching staff had its challenges during March though, with a staff ERA of 4.79.
BOMB SQUAD—Through the first 27 games this season Texas has launched 42 home runs, the most in the Big 12 and the 11th most nationally. Last season Texas hit 68 homers in 67 games, the third most by a Longhorn team ever. Texas has 11 multiple-homer games, including five three-homer games and three four-homer games. Ivan Melendez is tied for the national lead with 13 homers, which matches his total from last season. Trey Faltine is tied for 12th in the country with his 10 bombs.
TWO-OUT HITTING—Texas has had a knack for scoring runs with two outs this season, driving in 43% of its RBI with two outs. The Longhorns have 86 total two-out RBI of their 202 runs driven in. Ivan Melendez not only leads the team with 38 RBI, but shares the team lead with 16 two-out RBI with Douglas Hodo III. Murphy Stehly has 11, while Trey Faltine and Eric Kennedy have 10.
TITANIC—Ivan Melendez has matched his home run total from last season with 13 bombs, upping his career total at Texas to 26. The 13 homers are currently tied for the national lead. Melendez also ranks in the top-15 nationally in total bases (1st), slugging percentage (4th), RBI (4th), runs (7th) and base on balls (12th). Melendez's first titanic blast of the season was a "Monster Shot," making him the first player to clear the batter's eye in center field three times. Last season Melendez burst onto the scene with 13 homers, a .319 batting average and .603 slugging percentage. He also had a stretch in the month of April in which he homered in six-consecutive games.
MURPH DOG—Murphy Stehly has been unstoppable through the first 27 games of the season, batting .472 and leading the nation with 50 total hits. Stehly also has 13 doubles, one triple and seven homers. He has a hit in all but two games and has 17 games with multiple hits, including just the sixth three-homer game in Texas Baseball history. His versatility has also been on display, playing first base, second base, third base and right field throughout the season.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT—Texas struck gold last season with the addition of graduate transfer Mike Antico from St. John's. The outfielder became the first player in Big 12 history to hit 10 homers and steal 40 bases in a season. This season the Longhorns added grad transfer Skyler Messinger from Kansas and he has produced. The similarities have been striking, as both players had a slow start to their Texas careers. Through Antico's first 26 games last season, he was batting just .202 before going on to bat .273 and landing on the All-Big 12 second team. For Messinger, he was batting just .192 after the first 16 games but over his last nine games he has raised his batting average up to .352. He has also been great defensively at third base and has not committed an error in 62 defensive chances this season.
MARCH MADNESS—Texas Baseball started the month of March with a tough stretch of 11 games in the first 16 days of the month. Making it even tougher, the majority of those games were away from UFCU Disch-Falk Field, with 10 of 11 on the road. The road was grueling and the Longhorns started the month with a 6-5 record. The back end of the March schedule was tough as well, starting Big 12 Conference play by dropping the series at Texas Tech before falling to Texas A&M for a midweek game. In all, Texas went 11-8 in the month of March.
OWN THE DISCH—A large part of the Longhorns success under head coach David Pierce has come down to dominating at home. Since 2017 Texas has produced a 132-35 (.790) record at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, including a 10-2 mark this season. Since the stadium opened in 1975, Texas has gone 1563-395-3 at home for a .798 winning percentage. The fan base has also done a great job of making the Disch a difficult place to play. Through the first 12 home games this season Texas is averaging 6,958 fans in attendance, which would be a program record. With the exception of last season's limited capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas has led the Big 12 in attendance for 15-consecutive seasons.
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS—It's an old adage that played out well in Texas' journey to a record 37th College World Series appearance in 2021. The Longhorns 2.93 ERA led the NCAA by nearly a quarter of a run and the Big 12 Conference by more than a run. Texas' .980 fielding percentage also led the Big 12 and was the 10th-best percentage in the nation. Through 27 games this season, the Longhorns have a 3.49 ERA and are fielding .987.
INFIELD HIT MACHINE—Throughout his career on the Forty Acres, Eric Kennedy has used his speed as a means to get on base. With two bunt singles this season, Kennedy now has 53 career infield singles (30 bunts). Last season he had 27 infield singles, including 16 bunt hits.
FLASHING THE LEATHER—Trey Faltine has been a human highlight reel throughout his career, making the difficult look routine. Last season, the Longhorns shortstop led the Big 12 with 203 assists and ranked second with 40 double plays while sporting a .968 fielding percentage in 308 chances. This season, Faltine leads the Big 12 with 80 assists. Faltine had a career-high eight assists against UIW on March 20.
PRESEASON PICKS—In a vote of the league's head coaches, Texas was selected to finish first in the Preseason Big 12 Baseball Coaches' Poll. The Longhorns landed in the top spot in the poll for the ninth time overall and for the first time since 2010. LHP Pete Hansen was named the Big 12 Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year, leading seven total Longhorns on the Preseason All-Big 12 team. Tristan Stevens and Ivan Melendez were unanimous selections, while Silas Ardoin, Mitchell Daly, Trey Faltine and Aaron Nixon also landed on the team.
MORE NATIONAL ACCOLADES—Pete Hansen and Tanner Witt were named to the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List to lead a group of seven Longhorns earning national preseason recognition. Hansen and Ivan Melendez were both named first team Preseason All-American by NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball and second team by D1Baseball and Perfect Game. Aaron Nixon earned first team preseason honors from D1Baseball and NCBWA. Witt and Nixon, along with Trey Faltine and Tristan Stevens landed on the Collegiate Baseball preseason second team, joined by Mitchell Daly on the third team. Nixon was also named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List.
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. This season fans will also hear analysis from Longhorn greats Keith Moreland, Ty Harrington and Nathan Thornhill throughout the season.
