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2019 Texas Softball - Connie's overboard, Anchors Aweigh!


TrashMaster G

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Went to the game Friday - like to get there early to watch warm up.    Had only been to tournament games this year,  no chance to see pregame warm up.

Mike White hits infield himself (many coaches delegate) - no slacking,  full speed,  intense.    If you are a softball/baseball fan,  it is a thing of beauty.

 

Re:  home runs.    Article in today's AAS (excerpts).    Personally,  I hope they do not move in the fences.   Need to evaluate the wind factor.

 

The Taco Shack target promised free tacos — at least a coupon for one — should a Longhorn hit a home run off the large sign. Alas, McCombs Field patrons have gone home hungry most of the time. Thus far, only Bekah Alcozer’s 2018 shot against Oklahoma State has fed the fans.

Over 20 games at McCombs Field, Texas and its opponents are averaging 0.65 homers per game.

In a five-season span from 2014 to 2018, Texas averaged 0.41 home runs over its 138 appearances at McCombs Field. In 147 games at road or neutral locations, Texas went deep 147 times. On a per-game average during that same stretch, UT’s opponents clubbed 0.37 homers at McCombs Field and 0.85 outside of Austin

With 200 feet to both foul poles and 220 feet to deep center field, the dimensions at McCombs Field aren’t unusual. Oklahoma’s Marita Hynes Field is the biggest stadium in the Big 12 with 225 feet needed to clear the fence in center field. McCombs Field’s dimensions match the in-state stadiums owned by Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Baylor.

Marita Hynes Field, however, is witnessing 2.13 homers per game from the Sooners and their foes this season. Through Friday, Texas Tech’s Rocky Johnson Field and Texas A&M’s Davis Diamond were averaging 1.67 and 1.41 homers. Getterman Stadium in Waco was producing 0.71 homers per game.

But it’s not as if balls are flying off the bats of the Longhorns’ opponents these days. (This spring, UT has surrendered four home runs at home and 10 away from Austin.) Lindsey Stephens, whose 47 career home runs in 2013-16 rank second all-time at UT, hit 35 of her homers on the road.

Alcozer suggested the lack of power at McCombs Field might have something to do with the stadium’s 10-foot fences. Those are bigger than the fences at most ballparks. According to Wheeler, they were built that tall since they also serve as the facility’s perimeter and security. Kennesaw State head coach Tripp MacKay, the former Oklahoma assistant who instructed UT’s hitters in 2017 and 2018, said, “I can’t tell you how many balls I’ve seen hit the top two feet of that fence.”

“I’m a bigger person, but I still have a hard time hitting balls out,” said 5-foot-11 junior Malory Schattle. “The fences are so high, and they’re so deep. It’s a pitchers’ field for sure.”

Alcozer said UT doesn’t change its offensive approach when playing at home. Averaging 6.4 runs per game in 2019, Texas is plating 6.6 Longhorns during each home game. (En route to a school-record 372 runs in 2012, UT averaged 6.2 per game.) Texas entered the weekend with a nation-leading 60 doubles, 34 of which had been hit at home.

https://www.hookem.com/story/its-a-pitchers-field-for-sure-hitting-homers-at-mccombs-field-a-tall-task-for-texas-and-its-guests/

 

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14 hours ago, torre said:

Good point !    

I always thought the 10' fences were primarily to reduce the number of fans watching from the outfield.  (Plonsky)

It's clearly not how far out they are, as the article mentions OU's field has further out walls, it's the wall height.

Getterman is an anomaly, the wind blows straight in from CF.  Always been a pitcher's park. 

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In 59 games last year, we hit 78 doubles, 4 triples and 25 home runs (107 XBH)

In 35 games this year, we have hit 64 doubles, 12 triples and 25 home runs (101 XBH).  We are on pace to hit 170 XBH (107 doubles, 20 triples, 42 homer runs in 59 games, but hopefully we're playing a good bit more than 59) 

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Texas drops a spot to #6 in the RPI - not a surprise after playing a sub-50 team (#69 - nice - ISU) and, for instance, Kentucky got swept by Mizzou. 

Good RPI teams left (Top 50):

#49 Baylor

#13 Ok State

#16 Texas Tech

#37 Houston

#2 OU

Middling RPI teams left (50-100):

#76 Texas State

#88 UT Arlington

Bad RPI teams left (100+): 

#173 Prairie View A&M

#170 Kansas

#281 Incarnate Word

I think the 15 games against top 100 teams  (9 against top 20) will outweigh the 5 games against sub-100 teams. Just not good that we finish with 6 games against #170, #281, #49.  Could affect us getting a top 8 seed.  I think we are firmly going to host (top 16) but we need 10-11 wins against that first group.  

Edited by Js1
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College Sports Madness ↔️ no change at 9

USA Today / NFCA ⬆️ from 10 to 9

Softball America ↔️ no change at 8

ESPN / USA Softball ⬆️ from 11 to 10

Fastpitch News ⬆️ from 14 to 10

Texas is CONSENSUS top 10. I fucking love Mike White.

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54 minutes ago, Js1 said:

College Sports Madness ↔️ no change at 9

USA Today / NFCA ⬆️ from 10 to 9

Softball America ↔️ no change at 8

ESPN / USA Softball ⬆️ from 11 to 10

Fastpitch News ⬆️ from 14 to 10

Texas is CONSENSUS top 10. I fucking love Mike White.

Looks like we were consensus last week as well.  Now it's unanimous.  

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Texas vs Baylor,  6:30PM,  today,  Waco. FSSWplus.   

  Wow,   didn't realize Baylor was 14-14 overall.   Regardless,  first conference game on road,  Baylor (like everyone) loathes Texas,  will be a challenge.

 

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