HORNS v. KNIGHTS
Another big week for the Longhorns as the end of the season is rapidly approaching. This weekend, the Horns head to sunny Florida for a series against the UCF Knights. While a series against the 9th place team in the conference would normally seem quite straight forward, the 2024 season has shown that it is anything but. UCF has been a dangerous team in their first year in the Big 12. Despite having an 11-12, the Knights of UCF are 5-3 overall in conference series.
One aspect to watch this weekend is it will be two teams with different strengths, hitting v. pitching. Even within pitching, there are two dynamics. The Horns starting pitchers have better numbers, but the UCF bullpen by far has been numbers this season.
UCF has been strong at home this season, racking up three Big 12 series wins against just one loss, while on the road, they have been swept twice against two series wins. Outside of conference, UCF has been very strong with a 19-3 record, including wins against several probable NCAA Tournament teams such as Bryant, Samford, Miami, and Florida).
Both teams have done well over their last 10 games, with each racking up an 8-2 record.
The Horns are looking to win their 8th series of the season and continue to push for a top seeding in the Big 12 conference tourney and solidify their position as a 2 seed in the NCAA Tourney. On the flip side, UCF is looking to grab their 6th series win of the conference season and solidify their position as a 3 seed in the NCAA Tourney.
Here is a comparison of the Horns record through 49 games in a season during Coach Pierce's tenure at Texas.
TEXAS LONGHORNS at UCF KNIGHTS
Date: May 10-12
Where: John Euliano Park
Time: Friday at 5 p.m. CT; Saturday at 5 p.m. CT; Sunday at 12 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+
SERIES MATCHUP:
RECORDS:
RPI / SOS
Texas Records Breakout
Home: 21-12
Away: 9-4
Neutral: 0-3
UCF Records Breakout
Home: 20-7
Away: 10-8
Neutral: 0-0
Texas Quadrant Records:
Q1: 10-8
Q2: 5-2
Q3: 5-1
Q4: 10-8
UCF Quadrant Records:
Q1: 5-8
Q2: 7-3
Q3: 8-2
Q4: 10-2
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS:
The Sunday starter for UCF will likely be either Wiley Hartley (2-2, 3.55 ERA, 1.08 WHIP) or Cade Boxrucker (3-2, 6.42 ERA, 1.54 WHIP)
UCF Top Relievers
UCF Offensive Leaders:
STATS BREAKDOWN
BIG 12 RANKS
PREDICTION (UPDATED FOR @Armadillo Slim and @streettopeschel ):
BIG 12 WEEKEND SERIES:
BIG 12 RANKINGS (Top 10 teams make the Big 12 Tourney)
REGIONAL PROJECTIONS (D1 Baseball)
Currently, Texas is projected as a 2 seed and would be in the Fayetteville Regional
The Big 12 is currently slated to have 7 teams in the NCAA Tourney (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, West Virginia, UCF, TCU, and Kansas State)
Current Regional Projections from D1Baseball.com
COLLEGE BASEBALL SERIES TO WATCH
ODDS AND ENDS:
Texas A&M just set a new bar for baseball facility spending as they announced an $80M renovation for Olsen Field - $80M Renovation
Olsen Field originally opened in 1978 and was renovated in February 2012 with a $24 million price tag. Currently, the stadium can hold around 8,000 people. The projected fiscal year start date for the renovations to Olsen Field is in 2026.
Another big week for the Longhorns as the end of the season is rapidly approaching. This weekend, the Horns head to sunny Florida for a series against the UCF Knights. While a series against the 9th place team in the conference would normally seem quite straight forward, the 2024 season has shown that it is anything but. UCF has been a dangerous team in their first year in the Big 12. Despite having an 11-12, the Knights of UCF are 5-3 overall in conference series.
One aspect to watch this weekend is it will be two teams with different strengths, hitting v. pitching. Even within pitching, there are two dynamics. The Horns starting pitchers have better numbers, but the UCF bullpen by far has been numbers this season.
UCF has been strong at home this season, racking up three Big 12 series wins against just one loss, while on the road, they have been swept twice against two series wins. Outside of conference, UCF has been very strong with a 19-3 record, including wins against several probable NCAA Tournament teams such as Bryant, Samford, Miami, and Florida).
Both teams have done well over their last 10 games, with each racking up an 8-2 record.
The Horns are looking to win their 8th series of the season and continue to push for a top seeding in the Big 12 conference tourney and solidify their position as a 2 seed in the NCAA Tourney. On the flip side, UCF is looking to grab their 6th series win of the conference season and solidify their position as a 3 seed in the NCAA Tourney.
Here is a comparison of the Horns record through 49 games in a season during Coach Pierce's tenure at Texas.
- 2017: 31-18 >> NCAA Regionals
- 2018: 33-16 >> CWS
- 2019: 24-25 >> n/a
- 2021: 37-12 >> CWS
- 2022: 33-16 >> CWS
- 2023: 32-17 >> Super Regionals
- 2024: 30-19 >> TBD
TEXAS LONGHORNS at UCF KNIGHTS
Date: May 10-12
Where: John Euliano Park
Time: Friday at 5 p.m. CT; Saturday at 5 p.m. CT; Sunday at 12 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+
SERIES MATCHUP:
- This is the first meeting all-time between Texas and UCF
- This is the first season in the Big 12 for UCF and the first season at the helm for Coach Rich Wallace
- UCF is currently on a 4 game winning streak
- Both teams enter the series with an 8-2 record in their last 10 games
- David Pierce has a 7-1 record all time against UCF, dating back to his time as head coach of Tulane
RECORDS:
- Texas: 30-19 (15-9 Big 12)
- UCF: 30-15 (11-12 Big 12)
RPI / SOS
- Texas: 51 / 27
- UCF: 32 / 42
Texas Records Breakout
Home: 21-12
Away: 9-4
Neutral: 0-3
UCF Records Breakout
Home: 20-7
Away: 10-8
Neutral: 0-0
Texas Quadrant Records:
Q1: 10-8
Q2: 5-2
Q3: 5-1
Q4: 10-8
UCF Quadrant Records:
Q1: 5-8
Q2: 7-3
Q3: 8-2
Q4: 10-2
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS:
- FRIDAY–Texas RHP Max Grubbs (4-4, 3.70) vs. UCF RHP Ben Vespi (3-2, 4.45)
- SATURDAY–Texas LHP Ace Whitehead (4-0, 3.73) vs. UCF RHP Dom Stagliano (2-3, 4.07)
- SUNDAY–Texas RHP Lebarron Johnson Jr. (2-4, 5.82) vs. UCF TBA
The Sunday starter for UCF will likely be either Wiley Hartley (2-2, 3.55 ERA, 1.08 WHIP) or Cade Boxrucker (3-2, 6.42 ERA, 1.54 WHIP)
UCF Top Relievers
- Kris Sosnowski (16 apps, 0-0, 3 saves, 2.22 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 24.1 IP)
- Dominic Castellano (16 apps, 5-0, 2 saves ,2.58 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 45.1 IP)
- Kyle Kramer (26 apps, 7-3, 1 save, 2.91 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 34 IP)
- Wiley Hartley (10 apps, 2-2, 3.55 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 25.1 IP)
- Spencer Bauer (18 apps, 1-1, 4.07 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 24.1 IP)
- Najer Victor (16 apps, 0-1, 4.87 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 20.1 IP)
- Chase Centala (16 apps, 3-0, 7 saves, 5.93 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 27.1 IP)
- Cade Boxrucker (11 apps, 3-2, 6.42 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 33.2 IP)
UCF Offensive Leaders:
- Matt Prevesk (.360 avg, .913 OPS, 4 HR, 29 RBI, .489 SLG%, .424 OB%, 2-5 SB)
- Jack Zyska (.319 avg, 1.001 OPS, 10 HR, 40 RBI, .571 SLG%, .431 OB%, 5-8 SB)
- Andrew Brait (.285 avg, .755 OPS, 2 HR, 20 RBI, .354 SLG%, .401 OB%, 7-8 SB)
STATS BREAKDOWN
| STAT | TEXAS | UCF |
| Batting Average | .292 | .287 |
| OPS | .919 | .820 |
| Doubles | 111 | 73 |
| Triples | 7 | 9 |
| Home Runs | 99 | 51 |
| RBI | 341 | 284 |
| SLG % | .540 | .446 |
| Walks | 198 | 181 |
| Strikeouts | 449 | 354 |
| On-Base % | .379 | .375 |
| Stolen Bases | 37-47 | 33-46 |
| ERA | 4.89 | 4.17 |
| WHIP | 1.49 | 1.23 |
| Bases on Balls | 214 | 161 |
| Strikeouts | 395 | 397 |
| Wild Pitches | 45 | 33 |
| B/Avg Against | .262 | .222 |
| Home Runs Against | 60 | 38 |
| Errors | 46 | 33 |
| Fielding % | .975 | .979 |
BIG 12 RANKS
| STAT | TEXAS | UCF |
| Batting Avg | 4th | 5th |
| Hits | 2nd | 9th |
| Home Runs | 1st | 11th |
| RBI | 3rd | 10th |
| SLG % | 1st | 9th |
| Base on Balls | 11th | 13th |
| Strikeouts | 11th | 4th |
| OB % | 8th | 10th |
| Stolen Bases | 9th | 10th |
| Fielding % | 3rd | 1st |
| ERA | 1st | 5th |
| Walks Allowed | 7th | 1st |
| Strikeouts | 12th | 10th |
| HR Allowed | 10th | 3rd |
| Hits Allowed | 10th | 1st |
PREDICTION (UPDATED FOR @Armadillo Slim and @streettopeschel ):
- AMENDED prediction so as to not anger the baseball gods.....Texas gets swept!
- On the season, I am 32-17, but I have missed the past two series projections
BIG 12 WEEKEND SERIES:
- Baylor at Oklahoma
- Kansas State at West Virginia
- Texas Tech at Oklahoma State
- Houston at Kansas
- Texas at UCF
- Cincinnati at BYU
- New Mexico State at TCU (non-conference)
BIG 12 RANKINGS (Top 10 teams make the Big 12 Tourney)
- Oklahoma (18-6)
- Oklahoma State (15-9)
- Texas (15-9)
- West Virginia (15-9)
- Kansas (13-11)
- Cincinnati (13-11)
- Kansas State (12-12)
- TCU (13-14)
- UCF (11-12)
- Texas Tech (12-15)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Baylor (9-15)
- Houston (6-17)
- BYU (6-18)
REGIONAL PROJECTIONS (D1 Baseball)
Currently, Texas is projected as a 2 seed and would be in the Fayetteville Regional
The Big 12 is currently slated to have 7 teams in the NCAA Tourney (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, West Virginia, UCF, TCU, and Kansas State)
Current Regional Projections from D1Baseball.com
| Seeds | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | Kentucky | West Virginia | Illinois | Omaha |
2 | Texas A&M | Louisiana | Lamar | New Mexico |
3 | Tennessee | Connecticut | Virginia Tech | Niagra |
4 | Clemson | Oregon | Coastal Carolina | Sacred Heart |
5 | Arkansas | Texas | St. John's | Little Rock |
6 | North Carolina | Alabama | UNC Wilmington | Bryant |
7 | Florida State | Troy | UCF | Florida A&M |
8 | East Carolina | NC State | James Madison | Bowling Green |
9 | Indiana State | Nebraska | TCU | Saint Louis |
10 | Oklahoma | Dallas Baptist | Utah | Wright State |
11 | Virginia | San Diego | Vanderbilt | Army |
12 | Mississippi State | Oklahoma State | Louisiana Tech | Samford |
13 | Duke | UC Irvine | Florida | Columbia |
14 | Georgia | Wake Forest | Southern Miss | Austin Peay |
15 | UC Santa Barbara | Arizona | Kansas State | Grand Canyon |
16 | South Carolina | Oregon State | Georgia Tech | High Point |
COLLEGE BASEBALL SERIES TO WATCH
- #17 Arizona at Utah
- Top two teams in Pac-12 go head to head
- #15 Georgia at #13 South Carolina
- Two SEC teams both fighting for a Top 16 seed
- #2 Clemson at #12 Wake Forest
- Tigers can lock up a Top 8 spot with a series win this weekend
- #9 Duke at Georgia Tech
- Blue Devils continue to push for a Top 16 seed
- #4 Kentucky at Florida
- No easy day in the SEC as the Wildcats chase the #1 overall seed
- Texas Tech at #19 Oklahoma State
- Can the Cowboys put an even bigger dent in the chances of Tech making the tourney?
- #23 NC State at #10 Virginia
- Top 16 seed implications in Charlottesville
- #1 Tennessee at Vanderbilt
- Can the Vols chase down Kentucky to grab the #1 overall seed
- #14 Mississippi State at #5 Arkansas
- Dawgs can solidify a Top 16 seed with a series win
ODDS AND ENDS:
Texas A&M just set a new bar for baseball facility spending as they announced an $80M renovation for Olsen Field - $80M Renovation
Olsen Field originally opened in 1978 and was renovated in February 2012 with a $24 million price tag. Currently, the stadium can hold around 8,000 people. The projected fiscal year start date for the renovations to Olsen Field is in 2026.
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