West Virginia series preview

[Matt Cotcher]

submitted Today, 11:02 AM in Texas Longhorns Baseball By Matt Cotcher   

 @mlcotcher
 
No. 16 Texas (11-6, 0-0 Big 12) vs. West Virginia (7-6, 0-0 Big 12)

Friday, March 13 – 6:00PM broadcast on Longhorn Network

Saturday, March 14 – 5:00PM broadcast on Longhorn Network

Sunday, March 15 – 12:30PM broadcast on Fox Sports 1

Probable Starting Pitchers

FRIDAY
Texas - Senior RHP Parker French (2-1, 1.61)
West Virginia - Freshman RHP Conner Dotson (0-1, 1.86)

• Freshman right-hander Dotson has been promoted out of the pen and is making his first collegiate start. Dotson has pitched in four games and has 15 K’s in 9.2 innings.

SATURDAY
Texas - Sophomore LHP Josh Sawyer (2-1, 2.95)
West Virginia - Junior LHP Ross Vance (2-1, 2.16)

• Vance has four starts and 26 strikeouts in 25 IP. In last weekend’s win (ETSU), Vance tossed five shutout innings.

SUNDAY
Texas - Junior RHP Chad Hollingsworth (1-1, 4.50)
West Virginia - Sophomore RHP Chad Donato (2-2, 1.44)

• Donato only allowed 1 run on 7 hits with 5 K’s in 7 IP last Sunday – his 1.44 ERA is best on the Mountaineers.

Notes

• Prior to WVU joining the Big 12, the Horns had never played them. WVU won two out of three in each of the series the past two seasons.

• The Horns are hitting .302 with 2 outs this season. In contrast, Texas opponents are only hitting .192 with two down.

• Tres Barrera has reached base safely in all 17 games this season, and has an OBP of .487 for the year.

• Ben Johnson leads the Big 12 in hits (33), batting average (.440) and total bases (50).

• For the Mountaineers, freshman left fielder Kyle Davis is batting a team-best .365 (7 doubles, 1 HR, 8 RBI’s). Senior shortstop Taylor Munden is hitting .356 and leads the team in homers (5) & RBI’s (11). Click HERE for joeywa’s scouting report on WVU.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

One more note, Garrido said yesterday that they are moving Ty Culbreth into the closer's role. The move isn't because the freshman (Kyle Johnston) hasn't been an effective closer, it's because Johnston isn't getting enough work in games (since they were saving him to close).

Johnston is seen as a key piece in the bullpen and Garrido and Johnson want to make sure he gets plenty of time on the mound.

 

[Worster1]

Good preview Matt.

Outside of the frosh pitcher getting his first start tonight, WVU has two pretty good pitchers going against the Horns in this series.  French needs to lead the Horns to a "W" in the first Big 12 game of the season and the first of the series.

Hook 'Em!

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

Has WVU played any home games yet?

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Has WVU played any home games yet?

WVU played their home games in Washington, PA at CONSOL Energy park. It's about 50 miles from campus.