The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
North Dakota St.
Baseball preview: North Dakota State
03.13.2023 | Baseball
The Longhorns continue their 14-game homestand with a midweek series against NDSU.
TEXAS VS. NORTH DAKOTA STATE
March 14-15, 2023
Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field
Time: Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
TV: Longhorn Network
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn/1260 AM
Live stats: https://texassports.com/sidearmstats/baseball
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
TUESDAY–Texas RHP Lebarron Johnson Jr. (2-1, 2.50) vs. North Dakota State LHP Max Loven (0-1, 11.74)
WEDNESDAY–Texas TBA vs. North Dakota State TBA
THE MATCHUP—Texas continues its season-long 14-game homestand, welcoming North Dakota State for two midweek games at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. The two games will be the first ever between the two programs. The Bison are led by second-year head coach Tyler Oakes and head into the week with a 1-14 overall record.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—The Longhorns kicked off their season-long homestand last week with five games at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, winning all of them and outscoring the opponents 52-19. Texas will look to continue that trend with five more home games this week. The pitching staff has been the strength so far this season with a 3.25 ERA and holding opposing hitters to a .232 batting average.
POW!—Peyton Powell has had a great start to the month of March, starting all eight games and picking up at least a hit in all of them and multiple hits in six of them. For the season, Powell leads the Longhorns with a .436 batting average with three doubles, two homers, 11 RBI and 11 runs scored. His versatility has also been beneficial, as he has played first base, third base and catcher this season.
THE HOMESTAND—Texas is in the midst of a 14-game homestand at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Through the first five games of the homstand, the Longhorns have started 5-0 with wins over Sam Houston, Mercer and Manhattan. The full homestand spans a three-week stretch from March 7 and concludes with the opening Big 12 series against Texas Tech on March 24-26. This is the longest Texas homestand in more than 20 years and the longest since the Longhorns hosted 13-straight games at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in 2011. The last time Texas had a longer homerstand was in 2001, when Texas played 21-straight home games from February 6 to March 13. This is the program's eighth homestand of at least 10 games since 2001.
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 157-42 (.789) record at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, including a 8-2 mark this season. Since the stadium opened in 1975, Texas has gone 1588-402-3 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.
HOME SWEET HOME—Texas holds an 8-2 record this season at the friendly confines of UFCU Disch-Falk Field. In the 10 home games, the Longhorns are hitting .299 and fielding .976, while the pitching staff has a 2.80 ERA. In the six games played away from UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Texas holds a 1-5 record and is batting .218 with a .959 fielding percentage. The Longhorns are also averaging 6,694 fans per game, the fifth-highest average attendance in the country.
INFIELD HIT MACHINE—Throughout his career on the Forty Acres, Eric Kennedy has used his speed as a means to get on base. With four infield singles (three bunt) this season, Kennedy now has 62 career infield singles (34 bunts). In 2021, Kennedy had a career-best 27 infield singles (16 bunts).
DOWNTOWN PORTER BROWN—Porter Brown has made an immediate impact after transferring from TCU. The redshirt junior leads Texas with four home runs and 15 RBI, starting 15 of 16 games in left field. Brown also has the biggest hit of the season thus far, a go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth inning against Indiana on Feb. 24. In parts of four seasons at TCU, Brown batted .286 with 20 doubles, nine home runs, 63 RBI and 83 runs scored. He also stole 25 bases during his time at TCU, including eight in each of the last two seasons.
THE TRANSFERS—The Longhorns have seven transfers from Division I programs that hope to 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.
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. Texas also had a marquee midweek match up at home, welcoming LSU to UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Feb. 28. Texas will also travel to College Station for a midweek game against Texas A&M on March 28.
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.
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.
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.
