Texas softball team hopes to return to World Series in Tennessee

It’s the same song, 13th verse for Texas softball coach Mike White, who has now led all 13 of his eligible teams as head coach in the super regional round of the NCAA tournament, dating back to his time at Oregon.

But that past success wasn’t the song close to his heart on Tuesday, when speakers at McCombs Field launched the Tennessee fight song “Rocky Top” — at, to be clear, max level — during the Longhorns practice for their regional super series with the Knoxville Volunteers.

Additional audio prep came from associate head coach Steve Singleton, White said.

How it’s swept:Texas Softball Ends Perfect Regionals Weekend With Victory Over Texas A&M

“I’m not sure what the goal was; I think Coach Sing can be boring,” White said with a smile. “It may be a bit unpleasant, but it’s good to get used to the atmosphere” in Knoxville.

While “Rocky Top” might be familiar to generations of Southern fans raised on all things SEC, it remains a bit foreign to the Longhorns, who have faced Tennessee only eight times in program history. . The Volunteers could become a bitter rival once Texas joins the SEC, but such animosity didn’t quite sink until this weekend’s best-of-three series.

“Honestly, I’ve never heard (‘Rocky Top’) before, but it’s got a nice little beat, you know?” said Texas outfielder Alyssa Popelka, an Austin native and Westwood graduate. “I know I’m not supposed to like this, but it’s pretty catchy.”

But Popelka also appreciates why the coaching staff blasted the song. Fans of the fourth-seeded Volunteers will be in rabid mood with their team hosting a regional super for the first time since 2017, and they’ll be eager to sing “Rocky Top” at every Volunteer run.

“I think it’s really smart, actually,” Popelka said. “It’s just to prepare us for what we’re going to hear and see every time we get to Tennessee. We did that in preparation for another team we played with (Oklahoma), and I think that helps really getting ready for the crowd.

Can Texas limit a loaded lineup from Tennessee?

Tennessee may not be playing at the level of Oklahoma, but they do have some roster similarities that could provide some tough times. Lead hitter Kiki Malloy hits harder than her father, former NFL All-Pro safety attorney Milloy. She leads the nation with 25 homers, 81 runs and a 1.007 hitting percentage, and she also has 38 interceptions and a .427 batting average.

Milloy spearheads a particularly powerful formation at the top, White said.

“She’s special,” he said. “But their top four hitters are all very tough. I mean, it doesn’t hit 1,000, though. She kisses half the time, so we have to make sure we get that half. The important thing is that we just have to make sure that we throw carefully. Hopefully we can do a few races and be able to challenge her. Otherwise, we will have to bypass it.

Can Texas bats stay hot after an impressive Regional?

While Tennessee ranks second in the nation behind Oklahoma, averaging 7.4 points per game, the Longhorns appear to have rediscovered their playoff swings. After scoring a total of four points in three games in the final regular-season series against Baylor, Texas has scored at least seven points in four of its six postseason games.

That string includes 11 points in Sunday’s win over regional title-winning Texas A&M.

Outfielder Ashton Maloney says the Longhorns need to continue a patient approach to home plate to win slugfests with Tennessee’s mighty roster.

“I would say we’re sticking to a plan,” said Maloney, a redshirt freshman from Missouri who went 3-for-7 with two runs scored in three regional games. “If there’s a runner out there, we just score the point rather than overdoing it. I think we just have to keep the momentum going and continue to build on last week.

Popelka agreed with her teammate, saying “getting the runners up and knowing the situation” will help Texas win the three-game series and qualify for a second straight Women’s College World Series.

“I think we can compete with anyone, and we know what we are capable of,” she said. “If we go out there and play our best game, we’ll give them their money’s worth.”

Knoxville Regional Super

Friday-Sunday, Sherri Parker Lee Stadium, Knoxville, Tenn.

Game 1: 3 p.m. Friday, ESPN2, 105.3; Game 2: 2 p.m. Saturday, 105.3; Game 3: TBA, if necessary

Texas vs. Tennessee

About Texas (45-13-1): The Big 12 runner-up received a No. 13 NCAA seed but was ranked No. 8 in the latest ESPN/USA Softball poll of the regular season. … With a series victory, Texas would reach the Women’s College World Series for the seventh time. … The Longhorns have used their four pitchers – Mac Morgan, Estelle Czech, Citlaly Gutierrez and Sophia Simpson – in their three regional games. Coach Mike White said he plans to use all four against Tennessee, depending on the game script. … 1B Courtney Day had five RBIs in Sunday’s 11-5 win over Texas A&M, one shy of the program’s postseason record set by Taylor Thom in a 2013 victory over North Carolina. South.

About Tennessee (47-8): The SEC regular season and tournament champion was No. 4 in the last regular season poll. … Tennessee reached seven World Series from 2005 to 2015 but have dropped in all three of their super regional appearances since then. … Graduate student Ashley Rogers leads the Vols in pitching wins (17), innings (124.1), ERA (.73) and strikeouts (165), and rookie Karlyn Pickens ( 9-6, 2.84 ERA) won the SEC Newcomer of the Year Award. However, Payton Gottshall, a senior transfer from Bowling Green, was the team’s key pitcher at regionals, picking up two wins and not allowing a run in 10 innings of work. … OF Kiki Malloy leads the team in most offensive categories, but infielders McKenna Gibson and Zaida Puni also have at least a .369 batting average, 50 RBIs and double-digit home runs.

Texas softball team hopes to return to World Series in Tennessee

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