After dropping two consecutive series to the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country, No. 5 Texas softball could use a reset.
Earning a series victory on the road this upcoming weekend could not only help the Longhorns reestablish confidence, but it could also provide an opportunity to build momentum heading into the last stint of Southeastern Conference play.
However, facing the No. 13 Georgia on its own dirt doesn’t exactly set the scene for an easy bounce-back series win.
The Bulldogs are 9–6 in conference play, but all but one of their losses have been by a margin of just one run. Despite losing their series against now-No. 6 Arkansas and now-No. 11 Texas A&M, they have yet to be swept in SEC play.
Additionally, Georgia has had strong showings in the circle recently, with junior pitcher Randi Roelling pitching her team to two shutout victories against Missouri this past weekend in the team’s series win.
Given their recent success and the fact that they will have a home crowd rallying behind them, the Bulldogs could be a tough opponent for a struggling Texas team to take down.
The Longhorns believe they have some momentum of their own. Despite a series loss to the Sooners this past weekend, they closed out on a high note with a walk-off 8-6 win.
“I know we lost a series, but anytime you beat an Oklahoma team, you’ve done something,” head coach Mike White said. “Looking at the volume of the work in the three games over the weekend, I thought we played very well.”
One win doesn’t always signify a clear-cut end to a slump, but it certainly marks a step in the right direction. Following her home run that gave Texas the win against Oklahoma, junior infielder Katie Stewart reminded the media that this isn’t the first time her team has experienced a bit of a midseason rut.
“This happened last year,” Stewart said. “We had a rough patch around this time, too, so it’s just how we respond moving forward, not what’s happened in the past.”
Last season, Texas conceded two series in three weeks in April, losing 2–1 against Tennessee and being swept by the Sooners. However, when the Longhorns saw Oklahoma again in the Women’s College World Series, they walked away with a 4-2 win.
Georgia has the potential to pose a major threat this weekend, and a home series victory against a top-five team could turn heads across the SEC and NCAA. The Bulldogs have played tough defense against talented opponents, which could be dangerous given the Longhorns’ sporadic offensive woes throughout the past few weeks.
However, if Texas can settle into a rhythm in the same way they did against Oklahoma in game three, the Longhorns have a chance of grabbing their first series win in three weeks.
The Longhorns will take the diamond at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday in Athens, Ga.
