The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Sunday, June 5
Oklahoma City, Okla.
6 p.m.
University of Texas
vs
Arizona
No. 16/18 Softball WCWS preview: vs. Arizona
06.04.2022 | Softball
The Longhorns battle the Wildcats in a Sunday elimination contest at 6 p.m. CT live on ESPN2
No. 16/18 Texas (44-20-1, 12-6 Big 12) vs. Arizona (39-21, 8-16 Pac-12) at the Women's College World Series | June 5 | Oklahoma City, Okla.
Schedule:
Sunday, June 5
6 p.m. #16/18 TEXAS vs. Arizona – ESPN2
**All Times Central
Location: Oklahoma City, Okla. (USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium)
Television: The elimination match-up against Arizona is scheduled for broadcast on ESPN2 with Kevin Brown (play-by-play), Amanda Scarborough (analyst) and Andraya Carter (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:
- Arizona leads the overall series with Texas, 16-8, including 10-6 at neutral sites. The two teams have split a pair of previous WCWS meetings. UT won 1-0 (11 inn.) back on June 5, 2005, while UA won 2-0 on June 2, 2006.
- Sophomore outfielder Bella Dayton spent the 2020 & 2021 seasons as part of the Arizona program. During her two years at UA, the Wylie, Texas, native hit .252 over 64 games with 28 hits (five extra-base), 11 walks, 13 steals and 10 RBIs.
- Texas has had at least one runner on base in 13-of-14 WCWS innings in 2022 but have stranded a total of 15. That came back to hurt against the Sooners as UT had at least one runner on in all seven innings, but left seven stranded.
- By taking the field on Sunday against Arizona, Texas will officially play its 66th game of the 2022 season. That's the most games ever played by the Longhorns in a single year.
- Besides the many daily challenges that come from being student-athletes, two Texas players have also faced significant off-the-field obstacles during the 2021-22 school year. Sophomore shortstop Alyssa Washington sadly lost her father Osiris (pronounced oh-SYRE-us) suddenly back in August 2021, while sophomore outfielder Alyssa Popelka's mother Jennifer Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer during the 2022 season (now in remission as of May). Both players have chosen to use their play on the field this year to honor their parents, and remarkably, they're each having career years for the Longhorns.
- Pitching & defense have been HUGE keys in Texas' NCAA Tournament run. UT entered the field of 64 with a 3.30 season staff ERA & a .955 fielding percentage. Over nine NCAA games, Texas owns a 2.03 ERA & a .984 fielding mark.
- Senior second baseman Janae Jefferson owns a program record 37 career NCAA Tournament hits. She's managed 20 hits in regional play, 15 in super regional action and now has two WCWS hits after her HR vs. No. 1 Oklahoma on Saturday.
- Pitcher Hailey Dolcini has been a warrior during Texas' NCAA run. The senior is 4-3 overall with a 2.24 ERA, five complete games and 24 K's in 43.2 innings. At one point, she threw 535 pitches over a seven-game span that included two wins at No. 11 Washington & a one at No. 4 Arkansas.
- Jefferson is closing in on THREE MORE Texas single season records. She needs TWO RUNS to break the school single-season runs mark, ONE GAME/START to break the single-season games/starts record and FOUR MORE TOTAL BASES to break the single-season record for total bases.
- Senior C/1B Mary Iakopo has been on fire at the plate over the last 18 games, hitting .389 with four doubles, three HR's and a team-high 20 RBIs. She also reached base safely in 16-of-18 games & hit safely in 15-of-18 games in that stretch.
- Iakopo is Texas' biggest threat with runners in scoring position. The Carson, Calif., native is currently hitting at a .417 clip (30-for-72) with RISP in 2022.
- Jefferson continues to excel from the leadoff spot as the three-time NFCA All-American is batting .468 as the leadoff of any inning in 2022, going 44-for-94 in those situations.
- The Longhorns are currently NO. 1 IN NCAA DIVISION I in doubles with a school single-season record 111, eight ahead of second-place Louisiana (103). Janae Jefferson currently leads Texas and rates in the national top five with 22 doubles.
- Jefferson is also having a remarkable NCAA Tournament. The Humble, Texas, product is hitting .452 (14-for-31) over nine games with 11 runs, three doubles, four HR's (one more than her regular season total) and a 1.435 OPS.
- The Longhorns have proven prolific in 2022 as far as stolen bases go. Texas' 95 steals are the most in a season since the 2013 Texas squad swiped a school record 126 bags & are the fifth-most in a single season in UT history.
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
C/1B
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball