Texas softball is all business as they prepare for the regular season.
Over the past month, the Longhorns have played in four fall exhibition games. While these games have come against smaller programs, including three community colleges and Texas State, Texas head coach Mike White is using the fall season as an opportunity for his team, especially the freshmen, to get acclimated to different positions and keep players disciplined months from the season’s actual start.
“Coach Fremin and Coach Freeman — they’re bringing new things to the table,” White said. “So an opportunity just to try those things out in the games is really special.”
White expressed how important it is to get everyone an opportunity in these fall games. This fall, he has been rotating his players throughout the infield and outfield, getting a feel for the team’s depth.
Some adjustments are lineup based, such as swapping senior Isa Torres and senior Viviana Martinez at second base and shortstop to determine where they fit best. However, most of the rotations are to get the players on the team involved who would not otherwise have the opportunity. Eighteen different batters, including six freshmen, had at least one plate appearance Tuesday night in the exhibition against McLennan Community College.
“I think there’s still a clear cut line in the sand there, as far as some of the ones that are a little new to the club and take a little more development, but we are just getting them through the paces here,” White said.
White did mention some freshmen that he thinks could contribute when the season begins, including pitcher Madi Doty, infielder Anabela Abdullah and utility player Aubrey Portie. Portie was especially impressive in Tuesday’s game, showing off her plate discipline by walking three times.
“It is an emphasis,” White said when asked if Portie’s plate discipline was a product of their practices. “Something we looked at last year (is) that we struck out a little too much and we walked a little bit less, so we got to flip flop those numbers and make sure we’re a little more patient.”
White has also been focused on keeping all of his pitchers involved as Doty, senior Teagan Kavan, junior Brenlee Gonzales, junior Samantha Lincoln and sophomore Hannah Wells all took the mound at points in Tuesday’s exhibition. White has confidence that all five pitchers, including his five-star prospect Doty, will make an impact this season. He said that he does not anticipate any of his pitchers going for more than three innings in the fall.
“We got a pretty deep pitching staff,” White said. “We got to see what they’re all about.”
White still has time to see how his younger players will fit in. Texas will ramp up to finish the fall season, with games at home against UTSA on Oct. 29 and in College Station against Texas A&M on Nov. 6.
