Texas softball: No. 2 Longhorns excited to open SEC play against No. 3 Florida

Texas softball will begin SEC play this weekend under the best possible circumstances.

Entering a three-game series at No. 3 Florida (26-2), the second-ranked Longhorns (24-1) boast a 15-game winning streak and are tied for the best start in program history.

The individual accolades keep rolling in, too. Ace Teagan Kavan earned the SEC’s pitcher of the week honor after going 3-0 record with a 0.43 ERA against Baylor, Kent State and Ohio State last week. And catcher Reece Atwood joined former UT pitcher Cat Osterman as the only Longhorn to win four NFCA national player of the week awards after hitting .636 in 11 official plate appearances, driving in seven runs and totaling 20 bases last week.

So, the Longhorns are ready for a grueling SEC slate that includes six of the top 10 teams in the latest ESPN/USA Softball poll, right?

Texas coach Mike White and the No. 2 Longhorns will make their SEC debut this weekend at No. 3 Florida. Texas enters the game on a 15-game winning streak, and its 24-1 record is tied for the best start in school history.

“I’m happy with where the team is right now,” said Atwood, who's hitting .416 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs. “The chemistry is unmatched. We’re excited to face Florida with what I think is one of the beat teams we’ve had in this program.”

And what about the rest of the SEC slate, which includes a dozen teams currently in the national poll?

“We’ve all been looking forward to this for the past few years once they announced that we’re moving to the SEC,” Atwood said. “The time is here. It’s definitely going to be a challenge, but it’s what we’ve been preparing for all year.”

Kavan, who has solidified her status as the pitching staff’s unquestioned leader, enters conference play with a 9-1 record, a 1.74 ERA and a team-high 90 strikeouts in 64.1 innings. But she knows that the array of big bats in the SEC will offer a stern test, which starts with a Florida team that ranks fourth in the nation with 8.79 runs per game and fifth in hitting at .381.

“On paper, they have one of the best offenses in the country, so it’s going to take a lot of grit and a lot of competitive pitches,” Kavan said. “We’re going to try and win each pitch. I feel confident in myself and in what the team can do.”

Regardless of what happens this weekend, Texas coach Mike White doesn’t expect a replay of last summer's matchup at the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, when the Longhorns run-ruled the Gators 10-0.

“I’ve seen a lot of home runs, they’re deep in pitching, they’re very similar to us,” he said. “It should be a good matchup. It should be an exciting place to play; I know they’re passionate down there.”

Texas' SEC opener

No. 2 Texas (24-1, 0-0) at No. 3 Florida (26-2, 0-0), 1 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network), noon Sunday (SEC Network+), 6 p.m. Monday (SEC Network)

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas softball: No. 2 Longhorns to open SEC play against No. 3 Florida

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Texas softball: No. 2 Longhorns excited to open SEC play against No. 3 Florida

Texas' SEC opener

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