The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
#8 Arkansas
Baseball preview: College Baseball Showdown
02.16.2023 | Baseball
The Longhorns open the season against a trio of SEC teams at Globe Life Field.
TEXAS vs. #7 ARKANSAS | MISSOURI | #10 VANDERBILT
February 17-19, 2023
Where: Globe Life Field
Time: Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 3 p.m.; Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
TV: FloBaseball.tv
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn/1260 AM
Live stats: https://texassports.com/sidearmstats/baseball
THE MATCHUPS—Texas will play in the College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field for the second time after playing in the inaugural event in 2021. The Longhorns face Arkansas on Opening Day and the two teams last met in 2021 at Globe Life Field, with the Razorbacks winning 4-0. Texas and Missouri last played in the 2020 Shriner's Children's College Classic, with the Tigers winning 9-8. Texas closes out the weekend against Vanderbilt and the teams will meet for the first time since the 2014 College World Series.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—The Longhorns will feature several new faces on the roster and coaching staff as they look to advance to the College World Series for a third-straight season. On the coaching staff, Steve Rodriguez will work with the hitters and infielders while Woody Williams will coach the pitchers. The roster features 10 freshmen and nine transfers that will compete for several key roles after the Longhorns lost seven everyday starters in the lineup and two experienced starting pitchers. Outfielders Eric Kennedy and Dylan Campbell and infielder Mitchell Daly are the most experienced position players on the roster. Lucas Gordon returns to the pitching the staff after being named second team All-Big 12 last season. The Longhorns could also see the return of Tanner Witt to the mound after missing most of last season.
THE TRANSFERS—The Longhorns have seven transfers from Division I programs that could make an immediate impact, including outfielder Porter Brown (TCU), infielder Tanner Carlson (Long Beach State), catcher Garrett Guillemette (USC), RHP Cody Howard (Baylor) RHP Charlie Hurley (USC), LHP David Shaw (Rice) and RHP Heston Tole (Arkansas). Additionally RHP DJ Burke and LHP Chris Stuart transferred from San Jacinto College.
PRESEASON HONORS—Two Longhorn pitchers Lucas Gordon and Tanner Witt were named to the All-Big 12 Preseason team. Last season Gordon went 7-2 with a 3.05 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 85.2 innings after moving into the weekend rotation. Witt made two starts on the mound in the 2022 season before undergoing season ending surgery. He finished with a 2-0 record, a 1.64 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 11 innings pitched.
"REMEMBER THE ARLINGTON"—The Longhorns began the 2021 season by going 0-3 at the College Baseball Showdown, being outscored 20-4 during the weekend. The team used the rough weekend as a sort of rallying cry for the rest of the season as they went to the College World Series and finished 50-17.
PRESEASON ALL–AMERICAN—Despite only making two starts last season before undergoing season-ending surgery, Tanner Witt was named a second team Preseason All-American by Baseball America. The BA Preseason All-America teams are unique in that they are voted on by Major League scouting directors. Witt finished with a 2-0 record, a 1.64 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 11 innings pitched as a sophomore in 202. In Witt's first season on the Forty Acres in 2021, he was named a Freshman All-American and Honorable Mention All-Big 12 selection. He led Texas with 28 relief appearances and posted a 5-0 record, five saves, a 3.16 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 57 innings pitched.
THE SCHEDULE—The 2023 schedule features 36 home games at UFCU Disch-Falk Field after opening the season at the College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington. In Big 12 play, the Longhorns will host Texas Tech, Kansas State, Oklahoma and West Virginia and will travel to Oklahoma State, Baylor, TCU and Kansas.
HOME SWEET HOME—Texas went 27-7 last season at the friendly confines of UFCU Disch-Falk Field. During the regular season, Texas played a total of 34 games at home and 30 games away from UFCU Disch-Falk Field. In home games, Texas had a team batting average of .340 and a .990 fielding percentage. The Longhorns also averaged a program record 6,918 fans in attendance at home last season, the fifth-highest average attendance in the country.
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 148-40 (.787) record at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, including a 27-7 mark last season. Since the stadium opened in 1975, Texas has gone 1580-400-3 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. With the exception of the 2021 season because of 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 back-to-back College World Series appearances in 2021 and 2022. During the 2021 season, the Longhorns' .980 fielding percentage led the Big 12 and was the 10th-best percentage in the nation. In 2022, Texas set the program record and led all of Division-I Baseball with a .985 fielding percentage.
INFIELD HIT MACHINE—Throughout his career on the Forty Acres, Eric Kennedy has used his speed as a means to get on base. With seven infield singles (three bunt) lst season, Kennedy now has 58 career infield singles (31 bunts). In 2021, Kennedy had 27 infield singles, including 16 bunt hits.
ROOKIES—Several freshmen will play big roles this season, including infielders Jalin Flores (San Antonio) and Jared Thomas (Waxahachie). Flores is likely to start at third base on Opening Day, while Thomas is expected to be the Longhorns starting first baseman. Additionally, infielders Jayden Duplantier and Cade O'Hara, catcher Rylan Galvan, outfielder Max Belyeu, and pitchers Kobe Minchey, Max Grubbs and Pierce George could all find significant playing time.
BOMB SQUAD—Texas shattered the program record for most home runs in a season in 2022, smashing 128 bombs in 69 games. The home run total led the Big 12 and ranked third nationally. Seven different Longhorn players hit 10 homers for the first time in program history. Only one of those players with 10-plus homers last season returns in 2023, as Dylan Campbell hit 10 bombs as a sophomore. In all, only 23 of the homers were hit by returning players.
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.
WATCH 'EM—Nearly all of Texas' home games will be broadcast on Longhorn Network this season. The team of Keith Moreland and Greg Swindell will return to the booth to call the action for all 36 home games.
