Texas’ aggressive plan has produced a winning change early in the season

By Steve Habel, Senior Contributing Writer

AUSTIN – Get on. Get over. Get in.

Those six words could easily be the mantra of the Texas softball team, which has adopted a new attitude of aggressiveness in the early days of the 2019 season, its first with Mike White as its new coach.

The team that scores the most wins, and while that sounds easy enough, execution is how to produce those needed runs. The Longhorns entered their campaign last weekend with an aggressive mindset and go-go-go attitude that put constant pressure on their opponents.

The result? Four wins in two days (including three victories on Saturday, the first time a Texas team has ever won thrice on the same day) while outscoring Boston College (twice), Boise State, and Northwestern State by a combined score of 32-3.

“We want to score runs, a lot of runs,” Texas centerfielder Reagan Hathaway said. “Being aggressive is a big part of that. It’s been a focus of taking the next base if you can, tagging up it you can and being aggressive early in the count – and hunting your pitch and not letting all the good ones go by.”

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Texas picked up its fifth win — and fourth by run-ruling its opponent — with a 10-0 win over Cal Thursday afternoon.

The Longhorns were deadly and steadfast on the basepaths last weekend, stealing eight bases in as many attempts and scoring twice on sacrifice flies. In all of last season, Texas had 37 stolen bases in 52 attempts and recorded just 12 sacrifice flies.

Making foes fear the Horns

White revels in the cat-and-mouse part of the game that an aggressive strategy creates.

“I want our opponents to worry about what I’m going to do and how we will attack them because that puts things in the pitcher’s head and moves around the fielders,” White said. “I like that part of the game, the them-not-knowing.”

Texas also racked up 17 walks over the first four games; it had 141 last year, but White said the team could have had many more. There is, it seems, a fine line between being aggressive and being too aggressive.

“One of the things we noticed from the team last year is that they weren’t taking enough walks so we can’t be too aggressive,” White explained. “We have to temper that and work to swing at pitches in the strike zone that we can do things with.”

This past Tuesday, the Longhorns were working on hitting pitches that were in strike zone but not necessarily in an ideal spot. Plenty of emphasis was on raking outside pitches to the opposite field and understanding how those types of swings can affect games.

“It’s a different kind of game here than at Oregon because it’s a big field and we can’t rely on the home run and find other ways to score,” White said.

It’s all about the details, too, even in day-to-day things. The Longhorns’ practices are purpose-driven, kinetic and intense, with plenty of running from drill to drill and lots of enthusiasm – all executed with aggressiveness at the forefront.

“The coaches want us to do everything with intent,” Texas outfielder Janae Jefferson said. “Practices are a lot more intense, and there’s an excitement and purpose to everything.”

Engaged every single day

BLASTED! @_reago had to have dented the wall with that line drive double! pic.twitter.com/RDYMMfpJoA

— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) February 9, 2019

Hathaway said it’s a lot easier to come to practice every day.

“We learn so much about the game every day, and we can just feel the love of the game,” she said. “There’s a different feeling of practice. I always feel like I’m actively learning and more engaged.”

The level of competition will increase exponentially this weekend when Texas hits the road for the first time this season with four games in three days at the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational in Tampa Bay, Florida.

After the win over California on Thursday afternoon, the Longhorns take on Florida Atlantic and No. 8 LSU on Friday, and have a huge dustup against 18th-ranked Kentucky – a team the Longhorns have never defeated in three previous contests – on Saturday.

“We want to be able to see how we compare with some of the better teams in the country, and this tournament will help tell us where we are,” White said.

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