Preview: Texas Softball's Second Game of Austin Regional vs. Wisconsin

Who: No. 2 Texas Longhorns and No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers

What: Second game of the Austin Regional for Texas

When: Saturday, May 16

Where: Red and Charline McCombs Field

TV/Streaming: ESPN+

Meet the Opponent

The Badgers also roll into their second game of the Austin Regional after coming away from game one with a win. Wisconsin had to battle to earn its spot in the winners' bracket, squeaking out a 2-1 walk-off victory over the Baylor Bears in extra innings, winning in nine innings.

Wisconsin heads to Austin and squares off against Texas with a 33-19 overall record and posted a 14-10 record in the Big Ten. The Badgers made a run to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, falling to the eventual runners-up, the UCLA Bruins.

The Longhorns' pitching staff will have to keep a close eye on the Badgers' batting lineup, who rolls into the game with a combined .307 batting average and a .833 OPS. Wisconsin's batting order has tallied 52 home runs on the season and a .393 OB%.

The Badgers' pitching staff faces off against the Longhorns batting order, touting a 5.04 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. Wisconsin's arms have combined for 243 strikeouts and have held opposing batters to a .297 batting average.

The lead arm in the pitching staff for the Badgers is senior Shelby Jacobson, who records a 4.11 ERA and 1.55 WHIP. Jacobson leads Wisconsin by volume with a total of 155 innings pitched, totaling a team high 110 strikeouts, and holds opposing batters to a .247 batting average.

If the Longhorns face off against Jacobson, it would be the second straight day that the pitcher starts in the circle after a solid outing against the Bears. The pitcher would toss all nine innings of the ballgame, allowing six hits and just a single run, and punched out a pair of batters after throwing 141 pitches.