How to Watch Texas Softball's Austin Regional Final vs. Baylor

The Texas Longhorns have continued to take care of business throughout their first two games of the NCAA Tournament. Through the first two games of the Austin Regional, Texas has remained perfect in dominating fashion, booking a ticket into the regional final and being a win away from hosting a super regional.

The Longhorns haven't had much trouble in their first two games, winning both via the run rule and a combined score of 18-1. Texas started the weekend taking down the Wagner Seahawks 9-1 and followed that up with a shutout 9-0 victory over the No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers.

Standing in the way of the Longhorns hosting a super regional on their home field is a familiar foe in the Baylor Bears. Texas and Baylor will face off in the Austin Regional final on Sunday, May 17, at 12:00 p.m. CT.

How to Watch Texas vs. Baylor

Texas Longhorns infielder Leighann Goode gestures to teammates as she comes to the plate after hitting a home run. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Who: No. 2 Texas Longhorns and Baylor Bears

What: Austin Regional final

When: May 17

Where: Red and Charline McCombs Field

TV/Streaming: ESPN

Meet the Opponent

The Bears have battled their way through the Austin Regional in order to make it into the championship game on Sunday. Baylor took a stumble in their first action of the weekend, losing to Wisconsin 2-1 in extra innings.

However, the Bears got back on track, taking down Wagner on Saturday afternoon, coasting to a 9-0 victory, to set up another matchup against the Badgers later that day. And in the rematch, Baylor was able to get some revenge, taking down Wisconsin 5-2 in an elimination game.

The two former Big 12 rivals have squared off not too long ago as the Longhorns and Bears faced each other back in late March. The two teams took each other on in a home-and-home series on March 20 and 21, with the Longhorns dominating both matchups.

Texas would win both games against the two former conference foes in commanding fashion, winning game one in Austin 10-2. And in the second game of the series, Texas traveled up to Waco and left with a shutout 11-0 victory.

Even with their success against the Bears earlier in the season, the Longhorns will have to be ready to face the Baylor pitching staff, which records a 4.29 ERA and 1.67 WHIP. Additionally, the Baylor arms have struck out 235 batters and have held opponents to a .277 batting average.

The leading arm in the Baylor pitching staff the Longhorns might face is sophomore Peyton Tanner, who leads the Bears with the best ERA and WHIP while also leading the team in strikeouts and most innings pitched. In the sophomore's 131 innings pitched, she holds a 4.01 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP to go along with 97 punchouts while holding opposing batters to a .253 batting average.

A win against the Bears gets the Longhorns into the Super Regionals, where they will take on the winner of the College Station Regional. The two teams fighting in that regional final are the Arizona State Sun Devils and the Texas A&M Aggies.

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