After managing just eight runs in five games from March 15-22, the Texas lineup has been on a tear during the last six games. The Longhorns are hitting .316 as a team during that stretch and have recorded double digit hits in five of those games.
Erich Weiss has been leading the offensive surge, as he is hitting .478 over the last six games. Alex Silver is second with a .450 batting average, and Mark Payton is not far behind at .444.
“It is getting much better,” Silver said of Texas’ hitting. “It is a day-by-day process and Coach [Augie] Garrido really stresses that.”
Payton continues streak
With a hit in each of Texas’ three games over the weekend, Payton extended his hitting streak to a career-high 16 games.
Payton’s previous career long was eight games, which he accomplished last season. With a hit in his next game, the junior right fielder would join four other players for ninth place on the list of longest streaks in Texas history.
Payton is putting together the best season of his career, as he leads the team with a .421 batting average and 11 extra base hits and is tied for first in RBIs
with Weiss.
Pitching dominant at home
Texas has started the year with a 13-4 record at home, and this is due in large to the success of the Longhorns’ pitching staff while at home.
The Longhorns have recorded a 2.24 staff ERA at home through 17 games and are holding opponents to a .211 batting average. They have not allowed more than five runs to an opponent in a home game this season.
The pitching staff has been a strength in general for Texas this year, as it boasts a 2.83 overall ERA through 26 games. The staff is allowing just 2.55 walks per game.
Knebel successful as closer
After allowing a run in each of his first two outings of 2013, Corey Knebel has been nearly unhittable.
The closer is 3-1 with a 1.17 ERA and six saves in 15 appearances, and he has struck out 32 batters in 23 innings.
Knebel has not been scored on in his last 10 appearances (13 1/3 innings). He has recorded 20 strikeouts and batters have averaged .071 during that span.
