The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Loyola Chicago
No. 9/13 Softball preview: Texas Classic
02.16.2023 | Softball
For the first of four times during the 2023 season, the Longhorns will host a non-conference round-robin tournament this weekend.
AUSTIN, TX – Following Wednesday night's six-run win over Lamar, The University of Texas softball program will remain at home this weekend, when the Longhorns host the first (Texas Classic) of their four non-conference round-robin tournaments this season.
Loyola Chicago, Omaha and UIW will all make up the remainder of the four-team tournament with both Loyola Chicago and Omaha playing Texas twice on the weekend while UIW will play the Longhorns only once.
SCHEDULE
Friday:
Loyola Chicago vs. UIW (10 AM CT)
Omaha vs. UIW (12:30 PM)
Loyola Chicago vs. #9/13 Texas (3 PM)
Omaha vs. #9/13 Texas (5:30 PM)
Saturday:
UIW vs. Omaha (10 AM CT)
UIW vs. Loyola Chicago (12:30 PM)
Omaha vs. #9/13 Texas (3 PM)
Loyola Chicago vs. #9/13 Texas (5:30 PM)
Sunday:
Loyola Chicago vs. Omaha (10 AM CT)
UIW vs. #9/13 Texas (12:30 PM)
LEADING OFF
- Heading into this weekend's action, Texas will be looking to continue its winning ways at Red & Charline McCombs Field.
- Since beginning play at the complex at the beginning of the 1998 softball season, the Longhorns are 540-142-3 (.788) following Wednesday night's 8-2 win over Lamar.
- Texas has won at least 13 games at home every season and a sweep of the Texas Classic would push the Longhorns' win total at home this season to six or 46.2 percent to that 13-game threshold.
- Since beginning play at the complex at the beginning of the 1998 softball season, the Longhorns are 540-142-3 (.788) following Wednesday night's 8-2 win over Lamar.
- Friday's slate of games for Texas will mark a first for the program as the Longhorns have never played a Division I collegiate softball game against either Loyola Chicago or Omaha.
- However, Texas has played five games against UIW in its program's history with the latest being a doubleheader against the Cardinals on May 2, 2018, when the Longhorns won, 5-2 and 8-0 (6).
- Texas has an all-time record of 5-0 against UIW heading into Sunday's game between the two softball programs.
- However, Texas has played five games against UIW in its program's history with the latest being a doubleheader against the Cardinals on May 2, 2018, when the Longhorns won, 5-2 and 8-0 (6).
- Janae Jefferson will make her return to softball diamond at Red & Charline McCombs Field this week as the former four-time NFCA All-American will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Texas' game against Omaha on Saturday afternoon.
- Mia Scott, Texas' preseason All-Big 12 representative, will enter this weekend's Texas Classic leading the Big 12 Conference with six stolen bases through five games played.
- Scott's six swipes on the base paths are four more than the next closest student-athletes as 10 are tied for second with two, including Longhorns Ashton Maloney, Leighann Goode and Alyssa Popelka.
- Of the 12 softball student-athletes in the Big 12 with at least one sacrifice hit, Texas features three with Leighann Goode tied atop the conference with two.
- Viviana Martinez and Alyssa Washington both have a sacrifice hit this season, too.
- Katie Cimusz currently sits atop the Big 12 Conference with a 1.564 on base plus slugging percentage: .917 slugging, .647 on-base).
- Speaking of leading the conference in a statistical category, Leighann Goode has touched home plate more times than any other softball student-athlete around the league as the true freshman has scored nine times in five games this season.
- Goode is also the only softball student-athlete in the Big 12 Conference to have been credited with multiple triples so far this season.
- Texas' pitching staff features two of the top 10 softball student-athletes in the Big 12 in opposing batting average.
- Estelle Czech is third in the league with a .139 opponent batting average, while Citlaly Gutierrez is seventh with a .179 mark.
- Texas is one of three softball programs (Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State) to feature multiple student-athletes in the category.
- Estelle Czech is third in the league with a .139 opponent batting average, while Citlaly Gutierrez is seventh with a .179 mark.
FOLLOW US
- For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasSoftball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @TexasLonghorns on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
