Ortiz happy to be under radar
With most of the Texas State headlines being dominated by Randi Rupp, the Sun Belt’s pitcher of the year, Ariel Ortiz has been an unsung hero for the Bobcats. And that’s how she prefers it. “Ariel is one of those kids that is probably happy that somebody else is getting the limelight,” said Bobcats coach Ricci Woodard. “That’s just the kind of personality she has. People think that she has this big personality because she’s a shortstop and hits all the home runs, but she’s actually a pretty quiet kid that we have to kind of force to get out of her comfort zone.”
Ortiz, who has started all 56 games this season at shortstop, ranks fifth in the Sun Belt with 15 home runs, sixth with 47 RBIs and is hitting .343. The first-team all-conference player broke the school’s career home run record this season.
Ortiz has been instrumental in a number of Texas State’s wins this season, including her two-run homer against Texas on March 1, the only runs scored by Texas State in a 2-1 victory over the Longhorns, its first win this season.
Texas State beat Texas twice this year and will have a chance to do it a third time when the teams square off in the first round of the NCAA tournament Friday in the College Station Regional.
“We love playing Texas; it’s a rivalry every year,” Ortiz said. “We’re going down there to beat them; we aren’t going down there just to play them. It’s going to be fun, and I think we can do it again.”
Women’s track wins Sun Belt: The women’s track and field team won the Sun Belt outdoor championship, the first time the Bobcats have won both indoor and outdoor conference titles in the Sun Belt. It’s the fifth time overall the program has won both championships but just the second time since the Bobcats moved up to Division I, with the last time being in 2013 during Texas State’s only season in the WAC.
Conference honors Somboonsup: Women’s golfer Sasikarn Somboonsup has been named the Sun Belt’s freshman of the year and newcomer of the year. She was selected to the all-conference first team and was an all-tournament honoree. She led the Bobcats with a 74.69 scoring average in 29 rounds this season, good for fourth in the conference.
Men’s basketball loses forward: Freshman forward Maxwell Starwood has left the team, the third player to depart the program since the season ended along with guards Courtney Julien and Nathan Josephs. The Bobcats signed six players (four guards and two forwards) during the Division I signing period, which ended Wednesday.
On Thursday, Texas lost some depth on its defensive line.
A Texas spokesperson confirmed that Jordan Elliott will transfer and that Marcel Southall has left the football team. Elliott and Southall were both 300-pound defensive linemen and members of Texas’ 2016 recruiting class.
Elliott appeared in six games in 2016, but a knee injury cost him playing time. He totaled only eight tackles during his freshman year, but the 6-5, 330-pound Elliott had two sacks in Texas’ spring game this past April.
Southall, who was a three-star prospect out of Duncanville, redshirted in 2016. Listed at 300 pounds on the roster, Southall was sidelined during part of this spring as he focused on academics.
Elliott and Southall become the fourth and fifth scholarship recipients to depart the Texas football program during Tom Herman’s first offseason. Receiver Jake Oliver, who will graduate this week with a degree in physical culture and sports, left a year of eligibility on the table in February. Thirdstring quarterback Matthew Merrick turned in his helmet during spring practices. Tight end Peyton Aucoin, who joined Elliott and Southall in Texas’ 2016 recruiting class, has also announced his intention to transfer.
Men’s basketball: Former Texas swingman Tevin Mack will restart his basketball career at Alabama, according to ESPN and Scout.
Mack was suspended for the season opener for an undisclosed violation last summer. Then the team’s leading scorer was suspended again for an undisclosed violation of team rules in mid-January. Mack never returned.
The second suspension came one day after Mack had to be separated from teammate Kerwin Roach Jr. on the court after a disappointing loss to TCU. It turned out to be a full separation from the UT program, as head coach Shaka Smart said Mack would be granted a full release.
Mack must sit out one year per the NCAA’s transfer rules. The sophomore will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Men’s tennis: Texas took a decisive 4-1 win over No. 7 Baylor to advance to the NCAA quarterinals for the first time since 2014 Thursday in Athens, Ga.
The Longhorns dropped the doubles point but won four straight singles matches to roll past the Bears.
Christian Sigsgaard defeated Juan Benitez 7-6 (4), 6-3 to seal the victory.
Sigsgaard and Colin Markes were the only Longhorns to take a win in doubles, defeating Johannes Schretter and Jimmy Bendeck. Baylor won the next two contests to take a lone doubles point.
George Goldhoff tied the match with a straight-sets win over Bjoern Petersen 6-0, 6-2. Leonardo Telles put Texas up 2-1 with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Will Little at fifth singles. Harrison Scott made Texas one win away from clinching the match with his 6-3, 7-5 win over Max Tchoutakian.
Texas now turns its attention to second-seeded Virginia on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Track and field: Texas head coach Mario Sategna was named the Big 12 men’s coach of the year Thursday after leading the Longhorns to their third straight Big 12 championship last weekend.
The men won the Big 12 title with 153.5 points and clinched the victory with one event remaining.
It’s Sategna’s second time being named the Big 12’s outdoor coach of the year for the men.