The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Sam Houston
No. 5/5 Softball preview: Sam Houston
05.02.2023 | Softball
For the first time in 12 days, the Texas Longhorns return to the softball diamond against Sam Houston
AUSTIN, TX – For the first time since knocking off then-No. 3 Oklahoma State on Saturday, April 22, The University of Texas softball program will return to the diamond as the Longhorns are slated to play Sam Houston on Wednesday, May 3 at 6 PM CT.
The game will mark the final regular season non-conference softball game for No. 5 Texas (39-9-1) in 2023 as the Longhorns are scheduled to wrap up their regular season with a three-game series against No. 20/21 Baylor beginning on Friday, May 5.
Alex Loeb and Cat Osterman will call Wednesday night's action between the Longhorns and Bearkats on the Longhorn Network, while Andrew Haynes can be heard on 105.3 FM on the Austin airwaves.
LEADING OFF
- The Longhorns and Bearkats tangled earlier this season on Tuesday, March 14, when Texas left Huntsville, Texas with a 4-0 victory. The game was the first-ever matchup between the two softball programs away from Red & Charline McCombs Field.
- In this season's earlier contest, Mac Morgan (four innings), Sophia Simpson (two) and Citlaly Gutierrez (one) combined for a seven-inning complete game shutout to mark the second consecutive shutout by the Longhorn pitching staff against the Bearkats in series history.
- During the Longhorns' current four-game winning streak over the Bearkats, the Texas pitching staff has limited the Sam Houston offense to just three runs throughout the last 28 innings between the two programs.
- With a win over the Bearkats Wednesday night, Texas will tie South Florida for the most home wins (28) this season.
- The Longhorns are currently tied with Florida State for second place with 27 but has a chance to leapfrog the Bulls with wins in both its home games this week.
- In Division I collegiate softball games played through Monday, May 1, Texas is ranked seventh in the latest NCAA Women's Softball RPI rankings, which is the third-highest Big 12 Conference softball program behind Oklahoma (1) and Oklahoma State (4).
- A win against Sam Houston Wednesday evening would mark the third consecutive season that Texas has won 40-or-more games, marking the first time the program has accomplished the feat since doing so in five straight from 2009 to 2013.
- The Longhorns were on pace to reach the 40-win plateau during the 2020 season (24-3 through 27 games), but the COVID-19 pandemic halted the season on Sunday, March 8.
- If Texas defeats Sam Houston on Wednesday, May 3, the victory will mark the 200th win for fifth-year head coach Mike White at the helm of the Longhorn softball program.
- White enters the game with a 199-65-2 (.748) record since being named the head coach of the Longhorns on June 25, 2018.
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.
