Texas Longhorns
Overall Rank: #11
Conference Rank: #2 Big 12
The Texas Longhorns return 10 letter winners, seven positional starters and three pitchers from a squad that went 46-10 and placed second in the Big 12 in 2011. The Longhorns have won four Big 12 regular season titles and each year they won, they weren’t picked as the No. 1 going in. The 2011 team was 9-7 against ranked opponents and set single season marks for team batting average, fielding percentage and stolen bases. The Longhorns open their season February 9 against Cal State Fullerton in the Texas Classic after going 5-0 in the fall.
2011: 46-10, 12-9
2011 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Connie Clark
Field Players:
Nadia Taylor, Lexy Bennett and Courtney Craig, all seniors, have been named team captains. Bennett batted .438 to rank 13th in the NCAA Division I. Craig trailed Bennett with a .382 batting average. Taylor (3B, C) batted .312 in 2011 and has a .331 career average. Five Longhorns are picked either first or second team on the College Sports Madness Preseason All-Conference teams with Taylor (3B/C), Brejae Washington (OF), and Blaire Luna (P) second team and Taylor Hoagland (OF) and Taylor Thom (IF) selected for the first team. Thom is also selected a first-team preseason All-American. Washington stole 37 of 45 bases (ninth in Division I) to lead the squad that had 114 stolen bases in 141 attempts to rank ninth nationally. The Longhorns will have to replace veteran catcher Amy Hooks, who compiled a four-year batting average of .293 and batted .333 in 2011.
Pitchers:
All three pitchers return including Blaire Luna and Rachel Fox, who combined for 46 wins and only nine losses. Luna (28-7) had 30 complete games and 16 shutouts, fanning 316 in 232.1 innings pitched. Luna is picked on the College Sports Madness preseason Big 12 All-Conference second team. Fox compiled an 18-2 record and an ERA of 1.24, striking out 122 batters in 124 innings. Luna and Fox gives Coach Connie Clark a solid one-two pitching tandem that allows very few runs. Fox ranked 11th nationally in ERA with Luna 12th. The third pitcher, Kim Bruins, was 0-1, but filled in at first base when Bennett was injured and batted .281 in 34 games.
Who To Watch:
Luna has compiled a 58-17 record in two seasons and along with Fox are one of the best one-two pitching tandems nationally and could propel the Longhorns deep into the NCAA Championship Tournament.
Final Projection:
The Longhorns have the ingredients to have an outstanding season and should only improve after last season where they ranked 10th nationally in batting (.324), second in ERA (1.36) and third in fielding. (.980)
Projected Postseason: NCAA
Returning Leaders:
At Bats: Taylor Hoagland, OF, 161
Hits: Lexy Bennett 1B, 57
Home Runs: Taylor Hoagland, OF, 15
RBIs: Lexy Bennett, 1B, 41; Taylor Thom, IF, 41
Runs: Taylor Hoagland, OF, 54
Stolen Bases: Brejae Washington, OF, 38
Wins Blaire Luna, P, 21
Innings Pitched: Blaire Luna, P, 232.1
Strikeouts: Blaire Luna, P, 316
Saves: None
