Texas Baseball Preview – No. 25/28 Texas (34-15) vs. Texas State (28-23) • Tuesday, May 13
Where: Austin, Texas • UFCU Disch-Falk Field (7,237)
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: Longhorn Network - Talent: Kevin Dunn (PbP), Greg Swindell (Analyst)
Radio: AM-1300 The Zone, online at www.TexasSports.com/showcase - Talent: Craig Way (PbP), Keith Moreland (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Texas leads, 41-9, 37-9 at home
Live Stats: sidearmstats.com/texas/
Probable Starting Pitchers
Fr. RHP Dylan Bein (0-4, 2.59) vs. Jr. RHP Lukas Schiraldi (6-3, 4.39)
QUICK HITS
· Texas returns to action after a week-long break for final exams as it plays host to Texas State in the regular season home finale. Following Tuesday’s game, the Longhorns head to Manhattan, Kansas, for their final regular season series at Kansas State.
· Texas took the first two meetings with Texas State this season, winning 6-3 in San Marcos on March 11, and 5-1 on March 25 in Austin. The Longhorns own a 41-9 advantage all-time in the series and have won 20 consecutive.
· The Longhorns have won 15 of their last 16 Tuesday matchups dating back to last season, with the lone loss coming to Rice at home on April 8.
· The Texas pitching staff ranks second in the Big 12 and 10th nationally with a 2.34 ERA. As a staff, Texas is holding opponents to a .230 batting average which is also second best in the league.
· Texas has allowed three runs or fewer in 37 games this year (31-6 record).
· After committing nine errors in the series at West Virginia, the Longhorns dropped to fourth in the league and 33rd nationally in fielding percentage (.975). Texas, however, turned eight double plays in the series and ranks second in the Big 12 and t-12th nationally in that category (52). The Longhorns have been at their best defensively at home, fielding at a .984 clip.
· Designated hitter Madison Carter is hitting a team-best .340 and is coming off a series at West Virginia in which he went 7-for-11 (.636) with four runs.
· Mark Payton leads the Big 12 in on-base percentage (.466) and walks (42), is third in triples (5) and ranks 10th in batting average (.330). Payton has reached base safely in 88 consecutive games dating back to last season, which is the longest streak nationally and the second longest in Big 12 history (93 - Nick Martini, K-State, 2009-11).
· Carter (18-52, .346), Tres Barrera (39-122, .320), Zane Gurwitz (34-108, .315) and Ben Johnson (39-124, .315) have been the offensive leaders since March 11.
· Texas ranks 11th nationally in RPI and has played the ninth most difficult schedule in the country according to BoydsWorld.com. The Longhorns have an 11-10 record against teams in the RPI top 35, including 7-3 in road and neutral games. Against the RPI top 100, Texas is 25-14.
A pair of Longhorns earned national acclaim two weeks ago for their success on and off the field. Senior Mark Payton was named one of 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award, while redshirt sophomore John Curtiss was named to the Academic All-District 7 team.
· The Longhorns are 15-1 when scoring six or more runs this year.
· The Longhorns are 9-3 in one-run games this season.
· In addition to Payton leading the league in walks, Brooks Marlow ranks second with 36 and Kacy Clemens is tied for sixth with 33.
· Head coach Augie Garrido surpassed Gordon Gillespie for the most wins (1,894) by any college baseball coach at any level with the 5-1 win over Texas State on March 25. He now has 1,908 victories.
· Texas’ 44 hits in the Texas Tech series were the most in a three-game series since March 16-18, 2012, when the Longhorns had 45 at Oklahoma.
· Texas swept Oklahoma with great offensive balance. Eight of nine starters had at least one hit Friday, while all nine had at least one on Saturday and Sunday. Texas scored 25 runs and hit .310 as a team in the series. Every Longhorn starter scored at least two runs and six had three or more RBI.
· The Longhorns are 17-2 when scoring in the first inning this season. The two losses came on March 29 at Texas Tech and April 19 vs. TCU.
· The Longhorns are second in the Big 12 with eight shutouts, trailing only TCU which has 13. Texas also ranks t-14th nationally.
· Texas is No. 9 in the country in Iterative Strength Rating, according to college baseball site BoydsWorld.com (see more - page 3). The Longhorns have played the ninth most difficult schedule accoring to BoydsWorld.
· The Texas bullpen had a streak of 30 consecutive scoreless innings snapped when it surrendered five runs in the ninth inning against Kansas on March 16. On the year, the bullpen has a 1.58 ERA, while the starters have a 2.47 ERA.
· Texas is 37-7 when scoring two runs or more.
· Texas has stolen 55 bases on 63 attempts this season, with Ben Johnson (19-19), Mark Payton (13-14) and Collin Shaw (9-13) leading the way. The Longhorns have been excellent against the run, with opponents stealing just 22 bases on 33 attempts. That’s the lowest number in the Big 12, with TCU ranking second (28-43).
· Texas leads the nation with 77 sacrifice bunts.
Keep up with the game and watch the Texas Baseball twitter feed below.
