The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
#5/6 UCLA
No. 16/18 Softball preview: Women's College World Series
05.30.2022 | Softball
The Longhorns head back to the sport's showcase event in Oklahoma City for the first time since 2013.
No. 16/18 Texas (43-19-1, 12-6 Big 12) at the Women's College World Series | June 2-10 | Oklahoma City, Okla.
Schedule:
Thursday, June 2
11 a.m. #16/18 TEXAS vs. #5/6 UCLA – ESPN
**All Times Central
Location: Oklahoma City, Okla. (USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium)
Television: The match-up with UCLA is scheduled for broadcast on ESPN with Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Jessica Mendoza & Michele Smith (analysts) and Holly Rowe (reporter) on the call.
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:
- By winning the NCAA Fayetteville Super Regional, Texas earned its sixth all-time Women's College World Series berth and first since 2013. Until 2022, the Longhorns had never advanced to the WCWS by winning a road super regional. UT owns a 7-10 all-time record in the showcase event and is making its first-ever trip to OKC as an unseeded team.
- Pitcher Hailey Dolcini has been a true warrior during Texas' NCAA run. The senior is 3-2 overall with a miniscule 1.52 ERA, four complete games and 21 K's in 32.1 innings. At one point, she threw 535 pitches over a seven-game span with two wins at No. 11 Washington & a victory at No. 4 Arkansas.
- Senior second baseman Janae Jefferson is also having a remarkable NCAA Tournament. The Humble, Texas, product is hitting .522 (12-for-23) over seven games with nine runs, three doubles, three HR's (matches her pre-NCAA season total) and a 1.620 OPS.
- Pitching has been a major key in Texas' run to the WCWS. UT entered the NCAA Tournament with a 3.07 season staff ERA, but four pitchers (Dolcini, Simpson, Czech & Hulon) have combined for a miniscule 1.31 ERA over seven NCAA contests with two solo shutouts.
- Senior C/1B Mary Iakopo has been on fire at the plate over the last 16 games, hitting .396 with four doubles, two HR's and a team-high 18 RBIs. She also reached base safely in 15-of-16 games & hit safely in 14-of-16 games in that stretch.
- Mike White is a perfect 12-for-12 in his head coaching career at leading teams to at least a NCAA Super Regional berth. He previously led Oregon to five WCWS appearances, while this is his first with Texas.
- Texas' NCAA Regional title at Washington marked the Longhorns first road regional championship since way back in 1998 when UT swept through No. 16 Arizona State and No. 6 USF in Clearwater, Fla., on the way to the WCWS.
- Senior C/1B Mary Iakopo is Texas' biggest threat with runners in scoring position. The Carson, Calif., native is currently hitting at a .429 clip (30-for-70) with RISP in 2022.
- Look out for Texas' offense with two outs in an inning. In all, 128 of the Longhorns' 328 total RBIs (39%) have come with two outs, while 14 Texas players have recorded at least one two-out RBI with Iakopo leading the way with 18. Texas has 14 two-out RBI in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
- Jefferson is closing in on THREE MORE Texas single season records. She needs FOUR RUNS to break the school single-season runs mark, TWO GAMES/STARTS to break the single-season games/starts record and NINE MORE TOTAL BASES to break the single-season record for total bases.
- The Longhorns are currently NO. 1 IN NCAA DIVISION I in doubles with a school single-season record 109, six ahead of second-place Louisiana (103). Janae Jefferson currently leads Texas and rates in the national top five with 22 doubles.
- The Longhorns have proven prolific in 2022 as far as stolen bases go. Texas' 92 steals are the most in a season since the 2013 Texas squad swiped a school record 126 bags & are tied for the fifth-most in a single season in UT history.
