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2020 Texas Softball - Back to OKC!

Js1

By Js1
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BigDHornfan
BigDHornfan

The team sent this to my cousin after they learned about her 11 year old daughter and the terrible tragedy our family suffered. God Bless them and Hook ‘Em

ss13
ss13
Js1
Js1

Fly out ends it! Texas out hit 4-2 but 1-0 on the scoreboard. 4th top 15 win of the week Great game by Shea! 4 hits, 1 walk, 6 K and NO RUNS! And no errors! 

torre

torre 1286

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A  great article by Danny Davis,  AAS, on Steve Singleton.    A strength is his individual approach to each hitter,  not a "cookie cutter" philosophy.

You all that do Twitter give Davis a shout out on twitter.   He is the best writer we have had for softball and baseball.

 

 

After she hit the first home run of Texas’ softball season last Thursday, Reagan Hathaway was handed a miniature basketball by hitting coach Steve Singleton.

He pointed to a small hoop that had been set up in the Longhorns’ dugout. So Hathaway celebrated her slam with a slam.

And as he searched for Texas’ fourth hitting coach in a five-year span, an unconventional route took UT coach Mike White to Pensacola, Fla.

At the time, Singleton was the hitting coach for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. He had never coached softball before, but he did work a camp at Florida State and had previously weighed an offer to join Ken Eriksen’s staff at South Florida. Introduced to White by Florida State assistant Travis Wilson, Singleton said this offseason’s timeline was “perfect” for a move.

Singleton, 34, was attracted to the idea of raising his family in Austin. In his eyes, the lifestyle of coaching in college is less taxing than in professional baseball. “Every time I’m around (softball), I loved it,” he said. “Being here just solidified that thought.”

White has long embraced the use of technology in coaching and was attracted to Singleton’s mutual embrace of that concept. This season, Texas has used programs like Blast, a mobile app that analyzes a hitter’s swing through sensor-based metrics, and Rapsodo, a portable video device that similarly breaks down a swing. And Singleton relies on good ol’ fashioned video, too.

Building relationships, though, is the foundation to Singleton’s coaching style. He says that he instructs softball players the same way he would a baseball player, and several Longhorns have lauded their one-on-one tutoring.

Hathaway, for example, said that Singleton has helped her address how she uses her back leg while swinging. Elish noted that he tweaked her approach at the plate.

Junior infielder Janae Jefferson entered this season as UT’s career leader in batting average. But since none of the two-time All-American’s 154 hits had been a home run, getting more power out of her swing has been stressed.

“It’s coming. I promise,” Jefferson said.

Mary Iakopo led Texas with 11 home runs last year despite a self-diagnosed struggle with hitting change-ups. Now?

“Throw them at me this year,” she dared.

When asked if he sees himself as a baseball or softball coach down the road, Singleton answered “softball coach.” He’s not the first baseball coach to find a home in softball. This past offseason, Fresno State’s Matt Lisle (Chicago White Sox) and Virginia’s Jake Sidwell (George Washington) left their baseball gigs for assistant coaching positions in softball. Singleton reached out to Lisle for advice during his transition.

Since Singleton has a baseball background, expect to hear the words “launch angles” mentioned a time or two at cavernous McCombs Field. Texas’ 41 home runs last season were its most since 2016, but four of the Big 12’s seven teams hit more. Last season, Singleton’s Blue Wahoos ranked second in the Southern League in homers but also were third in strikeouts.

“My hope is that we see a power surge,” Singleton said. “I won’t care if we see strikeouts go up as long as we see us get on base and hit the ball hard.”

Of the five teams that Texas played last week, only Colorado State made the NCAA tournament in 2019. The Longhorns faced two pitchers — Colorado State’s Taylor Gilmore (2.24) and Lamar’s Lamar’s Aaliyah Ruiz (2.30) — who posted sub-2.50 ERAs last season. Tougher tests await Texas’ sizzling offense, though.

Texas will soon see No. 12 Tennessee and Ole Miss at a Puerto Vallarta College Challenge that starts on Thursday in Mexico. Dates with No. 1 Washington, No. 3 UCLA, No. 9 Alabama and No. 13 Louisiana are on the horizon. And the road to the Big 12 title still goes through No. 2 Oklahoma.

“We know that we’re preparing for Oklahomas, UCLAs and Alabamas,” Singleton said after Sunday’s 18-2 rout of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. “We’re not going to use this as that same measuring stick. But we did what we were supposed to do so that was nice to see.”

https://www.hookem.com/story/after-a-hot-start-ex-baseball-coach-steve-singleton-seeming-like-a-slam-dunk-hire-for-texas-softball/

 

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torre

torre 1286

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3 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Yeesh, Elish let a ball go through her legs.  I don't know how i feel about her in the OF yet. 

Yep,  rather she just DH.    Always chance for injury especially on a field like they are playing on in Mexico.    White said pregame it was a public park field.

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Js1

Js1 85490

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1 minute ago, torre said:

Yep,  rather she just DH.    Always chance for injury especially on a field like they are playing on in Mexico.    White said pregame it was a public park field.

Agreed.  Mike's job is to figure out how to get Day/Elish/Ellsworth/Iakopo/Sullivan into the lineup at all times.  But I'd be extra cautious with Day/Elish playing in the field. 

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Js1

Js1 85490

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Competition gets more stiff today - 

Utah - 3pm CT 

  • 6-0
  • Wins over #14 Northwestern, Western Michigan, Portland State, Kansas, Seattle, Ole Miss

#12 Tennessee 8:30pm CT 

  • 5-1
  • Wins over #14 Northwestern, Kansas, Western Michigan, Arizona State and Colorado State
  • Shut out and run-ruled by #4 Arizona 0-8 (5 innings) 
  • Played a fun exhibition versus the Mexico National Team (as we will tomorrow) and lost 0-2
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