Tag: Texas Longhorns Softball

‘Hear me out’: Alex Storako suggests Cotton Bowl for OU-Texas softball

Alex Storako has an idea for OU-Texas Softball that makes a lot of sense.

Nebraska volleyball filled Memorial Stadium. Kinnick Stadium was packed for Iowa women’s basketball.

With the success of Oklahoma softball and the growth of the sport, many have wondered about putting Oklahoma softball inside Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium. Give it the same treatment as Nebraska volleyball and Iowa women’s basketball.

Logistics and dimensions of the playing surface may not allow for the Sooners to host the preeminent softball program inside the football stadium. However, Alex Storako, a pitcher on the 2023 national championship team, had a fantastic suggestion.

Put it in the Cotton Bowl for OU-Texas in the spring.

The Cotton Bowl plays host to the greatest football rivalry in the sport every October, so why not host the best rivalry in softball each spring?

The Cotton Bowl is no stranger to hosting events outside of football. It  held six matches in the 1994 World Cup and the NHL’s 2020 Winter Classic between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild.

Sure, a softball field would require a unique approach to fitting it within the field dimensions of the Cotton Bowl. But the Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park provides a template for fitting a field within some strange confines.

In 2023, the Red River Rivals set a record for the highest attendance in a regular-season game when they played the first of their three-game series at USA Softball Stadium in Oklahoma City.

Meeting halfway in the heart of Dallas would provide an incredible atmosphere for two of college softball’s best programs.

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Texas and Tennessee to meet in softball super regionals

Texas softball is a series win away from the College World Series.

The matchup is set. The Texas Longhorns will face the Tennessee Lady Volunteers in college softball’s NCAA Tournament Super Regionals beginning on Friday.

The pairing pits Texas against the No. 4 team in the country in the head-to-head showdown we anticipated when the tournament bracket was announced. Both the Lady Vols and Longhorns completed 3-0 sweeps in their respective regionals. Now they clash with a trip to Oklahoma City on the line.

While Texas reached the championship series last season, Tennessee advances past the first round of games for the first time in three years. Undoubtedly the squad will be hungry to advance further, but the remaining players from last year’s Texas squad will have a say in how far they advance.

The series will begin Friday at 3 p.m. CT on ESPN2 in Knoxville with an afternoon game set for the following day. The teams will follow Friday’s 1 p.m. CT matchup between the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners and the Clemson Tigers.

NCAA Tournament super regionals set after a wild weekend of college softball

A look at the super regional matchups, which includes the Oklahoma Sooners welcoming the Clemson Tigers to Norman.

The first weekend of the NCAA Tournament was fantastic. There were a pair of big-time upsets, fantastic back-and-forth action and most of the top softball teams advanced to what should be a great slate of super regional action next weekend.

There were big offensive outbursts and even a perfect game in a winner-take-all matchup on Sunday afternoon that highlighted a fabulous weekend for the sport of collegiate softball.

Three of the top 16 went home early. No. 2 UCLA, No. 10 LSU, and No. 11 Arkansas were unable to make home field hold up, and were sent home early. UCLA didn’t even get a chance to play Los Angeles Regional winner San Diego State because the Bruins were beaten by Grand Canyon and Liberty before the regional final.

With one more leg before the Women’s College World Series, here’s a look at each of the super regionals and what those teams had to do to advance.

Game Recap: Softball – No. 2 Texas A&M vs No. 1 Texas (NCAA Tournament Regional Final)

Texas A&M’s softball season officially came to an end Sunday afternoon with a 11-5 loss to Texas in the NCAA Tournament Regional Final.

After playing four games over three days, the Maroon and White magic eventually ran out as No. 2 Texas A&M fell to No. 1 Texas 11-5 in the NCAA Tournament Austin Regional Final. A&M softball’s first season under coach Trisha Ford ends with a 35-21 record (12-12 SEC).

Over the last few days, the Aggies have been playing stellar defense, with the pitching also top-notch. However, the trouble has been on offense, as A&M had yet to score more than two runs except for Saturday night’s victory over Texas State.

Unfortunately, on Sunday, the Aggies did manage to put multiple runs on the board, but the Longhorns were too much offensively.

Texas finished batting 10-of-30 with eight walks and one hit by a pitch while striking out three times all afternoon. Courtney Day had a day to remember, producing four runs in two separate innings while hitting a two-run double in the first and a three-run double in the fifth.

A&M starting pitcher Shaylee Ackerman surrendered four runs, while Madison Preston provided relief and gave up one hit and two walks in 0.2 innings. Emiley Kennedy took the mound for the remainder of the game, but the damage was pretty much done, as she allowed Texas to score seven runs (three unearned) on seven hits.

The Maroon and White went 7-for-28 as a team with four walks, one homer, and one hit by a pitch while striking out six times. Koko Wooley (2-for-4) and Rylen Wiggins (2-for-4) finished with multiple hits. Riley Valentine launched a three-run homer in the fifth to cut the deficit 10-5, while Trinity Cannon hit an RBI groundout in the first to score Wooley.

While the loss stings, and at the expense of the Longhorns moving on no less, a 35-21 record under a new coach and new staff in year one is a feat to be proud of.

Final Score: Aggies 5, Longhorns 11 – W: Morgan, Mac; L: Ackerman, Shaylee

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Texas softball looks to single-handedly eliminate Texas A&M

Texas can send Texas A&M home for the offseason on Sunday afternoon.

The Texas softball team is one win away from the next round, and one win from eliminating its bitter rival. After the Longhorns defeated the Texas A&M Aggies 2-1 on Saturday afternoon and sent the team to the elimination bracket, the two meet again on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.

In this double elimination tournament, Texas holds the advantage in the final matchup. The Aggies (2-1) need two wins to eliminate the Longhorns (2-0) in Austin.

We don’t want to underrate A&M who gave Texas a battle in the first matchup. The team held a 1-0 lead before the Longhorns came back to win 2-1. The Aggies have four key players batting above .300 with Julia Cottrill and Trinity Cannon over 1.000 in on base plus slugging percentage. Even so, it will be an uphill battle for the Lone Star rivals from College Station.

Texas will look to move to the next round with an early win.

Game Recap: Softball – No. 2 Texas A&M vs No. 1 Texas (NCAA Tournament Austin Regional)

Despite some strong pitching and good defense, the bats weren’t in Texas A&M’s favor as the softball team fell to Texas 2-1 in Saturday’s NCAA Tournament regional.

After a thrilling walk-off finish propelled No. 2 Texas A&M (34-19, 12-12) over Texas State on Friday night, the Maroon and White were unable to repeat the magic as they fell 2-1 to No. 1 Texas (43-13, 11-7) on Saturday.

With runners on first and second, Amari Harper got things started with an RBI single to center field at the top of the third inning. Then, on their last out, the Maroon and White got on the board first, with Aiyana Coleman running it in.

It wouldn’t take long for the Longhorns to respond, as Bella Dayton walked up to bat with runners on first and third at the bottom of the third inning. After reaching on a fielder’s choice, Alyssa Popelka and Ashton Maloney both scored to put Texas up 2-1.

Despite some good defense and pitching from the Aggies from there on out, the Maroon and White struggled to score runs in response. With the bats not going their way, Texas A&M sought to generate offense through their base running, but Harper was caught stealing in the sixth inning after being walked to first.

From that point forward, the Aggies could not score as the Longhorns held on for a 2-1 win. Hindsight is unquestionably 20/20, but the base running may have cost Texas A&M dearly down the stretch of the last two innings.

Additionally, with a runner on third and one out in the fifth inning, having a pinch runner on deck could have tied the score 2-2.

There’s little time to dwell on the past, as the Aggies will be back in action later tonight. Texas A&M will face the Seton Hall and Texas State winner at 8 p.m. CT. on the SEC Network.

Final Score: Aggies 1, Longhorns 2 – W: Gutierrez, Citaly; L: Preston, Madison

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee.

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Charting Texas softball’s path to the Women’s College World Series

We look at who Texas softball might have to beat to get to the College World Series.

Texas softball is on the rise after following a national championship appearance last season with a strong showing in 2023. This year saw the team win 42 games headlined by a sweep of this year’s No. 6 tournament team Oklahoma State.

Head coach Mike White’s team didn’t receive the most optimal seeding for this year’s Tournament. Despite the immediate victory of hosting a regional, the NCAA placed Texas as the No. 13 team in the bracket.

The Longhorns slot seven places behind the Oklahoma State Cowgirls despite better overall record, conference record and standing, conference tournament results and a head-to-head sweep. As a result the team will face a difficult path to the College World Series.

Here’s a look at who Texas might need to get past within its bracket to reach Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma No. 1 seed: NCAA softball tournament matchups set, outlook for regional round

A look at who’s playing where and teams to watch in the Regional round of the NCAA Softball Tournament.

The growth of collegiate softball has turned the NCAA tournament into must-see television over the last several years. That growth was felt on selection Sunday as anticipation built for the 64 programs and teams on the bubble that awaited their fate from the selection committee.

This next weekend marks the first step in the march to the Women’s College World Series for the Oklahoma Sooners and the 63 other teams that hope to knock off the reigning, defending undisputed back-to-back NCAA champions.

With tournament play beginning this Friday, here’s a look at each of the 16 regional sites.

Texas softball to host Texas A&M in its NCAA Tournament region

Buckle up. Texas and Texas A&M softball are placed in the Austin Region.

A rivalry could be renewed in a high stakes environment for last year’s national runner-up softball team. The Texas Longhorns will host the Texas A&M Aggies in the Austin Regional this weekend in what could be a passion-filled battle.

Despite the recent hiccup that saw the team swept by Baylor in Waco, it has been steadily successful all season. Texas (42-13-1) is joined by Texas A&M (33-19), Texas State (34-23-1) and the Longhorns’ first opponent Seton Hall (42-16).

Despite the difficult SEC schedule the Aggies faced, the Longhorns would figure to be the heavy favorite to win the region. The season has saw Texas sweep then-No. 3 Oklahoma State and face premier nonconference competition.

The year saw head coach Mike White’s team split with formidable Alabama and Virginia Tech programs and earn a convincing neutral site victory over Missouri to start the season. In addition, the Longhorns have more seen more reps than most against this year’s title favorite, No. 1 Oklahoma.

Texas will take on Seton Hall in its tournament opener.

Texas softball falls to Oklahoma in Big 12 tournament final, 6-1

The road to the College World Series begins for Texas softball after falling to Oklahoma in the Big 12 tournament final.

The No. 7 Texas softball team fell to the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners in the conference tournament final on Saturday. The 6-1 loss wasn’t all that close. Now it’s up to the tournament committee as to whether or not they enjoy home field until the College World Series.

The Longhorns had a tremendous season on the diamond. They finished 42-13-1 with an 11-7 record in a tough Big 12 conference.

The highlight and lowlight of the season both occurred in the latter part of the season. Late April saw the team sweep the then-No. 3 Oklahoma State Cowgirls on the strength of three straight walkoffs by freshman catcher Reese Atwood. Just a couple weekends later, then No. 20 Baylor swept the Longhorns in Waco.

Playing on the road didn’t phase the team last season. Yet while this year’s squad might ultimately surpass past squads in talent, its youth would stand to benefit from home field all the way to Oklahoma City’s championship series.

The Longhorns will aim to make it back to the Women’s College World Series final for a second consecutive season.