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KINGSVILLE, Texas – The lone regular season tournament that the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team (3-1) will play in takes place this weekend in Durant, Oklahoma at the Durant Multi-Sport Complex. Southeastern Oklahoma State hosts the tournament that will see the Javelinas play five games with two on Friday and Saturday and one on Sunday.
 
Game Times
Friday – vs. Newman, 12:30 p.m.
Friday – at #4 Southeastern Oklahoma State, 3 p.m.
Saturday – vs. Washburn, 12:30 p.m.
Saturday – vs. #16  St. Mary's, 3 p.m.
Sunday – vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State, 10 a.m.
 
All-Time vs. Opponents
TAMUK leads Newman 6-0
Southeastern Oklahoma State leads TAMUK 13-12
TAMUK leads Washburn 2-0
St. Mary's leads TAMUK 58-23
TAMUK leads Southwestern Oklahoma State 9-0
 
Scouting Texas A&M-Kingsville
Entering the weekend with a team-high .571 batting average is Carlie Clark after stepping in at second base at St. Edward's on Tuesday. Jaeleen Castro is hitting .375 with a team-high two RBI. Both Loren Donaldson and Stephanie Lugo are batting .333.
 
Hitting a home run apiece this year is Loren Donaldson and Valerie Ramirez. Along with Castro, Karri Smith and Donaldson have driven in two runs.
 
On the base path, Castro is a perfect 2-for-2 stealing bases. Haley Boyett and Lugo each have one swipe on the season.
 
The Javelinas are hitting .267 as a team with a .306 on-base and .410 slugging percentages. Of their 28 base hits, 10 have gone for extra bases. Seven have been doubles, two left the yard and one was a triple.
 
All four games for TAMUK has seen the starter toss a complete game. Smith (2-0) has two of them while Bella Rosas (0-1) and Clark (1-0) have one each. Despite starting only one game Clark continues to lead the staff with a 0.00 ERA and eight strikeouts.
 
The pitching staff has recorded a 1.52 ERA in 27.2 innings of work. They have struck out 15 while walking six. Opponents are hitting .266 off them with only six extra-base knocks, all of them doubles.
 
Scouting Newman
Newman is 1-1 on the season after playing two games at the Southwestern Oklahoma State Round Robin last weekend. They defeated the host Bulldogs in their season opener 5-2 and followed with an 8-6 loss at the hands of the University of Science and Arts. The Jets were picked to finish eighth in the nine-team Heartland Conference.
 
Taylor Schawe leads NU in batting average and RBI and tied for first in hits, runs and homers after going 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and scored twice in a game this season. Both Breanna Pingry and Courtney Sartin have recorded three base knocks, all of them singles. Dingers have been hit by Kelsey Jones and Mikayla Medbery as well while Missy Swanson and Jones crossed the plate two times this year.
 
Two stolen bases have been recorded by Taylor Mannis and Medberry. Also swiping a bag has been Madison Bish and Sartin.
 
As a team, the Jets are hitting .349 with a .359 on-base and .524 slugging percentages. Of their 22 hits, three have left the yard and two went for doubles. NU has struck out 12 times this season and been plunked once but have not drawn a walk. In the field, they have committed five errors for a .911 fielding percentage.
 
On the rubber, Jensen Cromer earned the team's win this season with a complete game, eight-strikeout performance. She gave up two runs on five hits, walked five and threw three wild pitches as well. Also making a start was Katie Ingles (0-1, 6.46 ERA). She last only 4.1 innings as she surrendered seven runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Making a relief appearance for 1.2 frames was Jones.
 
The Jets have a 3.77 ERA this season in 13.0 innings of work. Their pitchers have struck out 11 while issuing six free passes and hitting one batter. Opponents are batting .268 off them with two doubles and home runs.
 
Scouting Southeastern Oklahoma State
After opening the season at the NFCA Division II Leadoff Classic in Tucson, Arizona, Southeastern Oklahoma State is 2-4. They defeated Fort Lewis and Regis College while dropping contests Colorado Mesa, twice, Midwestern State and St. Mary's. The Savage Storm entered the year ranked fourth in the NFCA Top 25 poll and were picked to end the season first in the Great American Conference.
 
Courtney Riddle enters the weekend with a team best .500 average, 10 hits, seven RBI and two home runs. Arianna Jones is also hitting .500 (5-of-10) while appearing in four contests. Jessica Simmons has scored 10 times this season and has stolen 10 bags. Hitting SEOSU's other homer this year is Sydney Kramer. Six players have stolen one base this season while the team is 10-for-10 in steals.
 
The Savage Storm come in with a .341 batting average, .405 on-base percentage and .435 slugging percentage. They have scored 37 times while recording five doubles and a triple. SEOSU has also drawn 17 walks while striking out only 10 times. In the field they have struggled so far having committed 17 errors and have a .906 fielding percentage.
 
Ashley Moore has started three games this year and has completed a game. She is 1-2 with an 8.53 ERA, six strikeouts and 10 walks in 12.2 innings. Jacee Bennett (1-2, 9.72 ERA) has made two starts and has appeared in four contests overall. She paces the pitching staff with 13 strikeouts but has surrendered three bombs. Making two appearances, including a start, covering 6.2 frames is Jessica Seay (0-0, 6.75 ERA).
 
SEOSU enters their tournament with a 9.24 ERA in 38.0 innings. Opponents have struck out 20 times while hitting .352 against them. The Savage Storm has allowed 22 doubles, five triples and three homers.
 
Scouting Washburn
Washburn is 1-2 this after playing in the Southwestern Oklahoma State Round Robin last weekend. They defeated the host Bulldogs 8-0 in five innings but dropped contests to Eastern New Mexico (14-9) and Science & Arts (8-7, 8 innings). The Ichabods were picked to finish 10th in the MIAA coaches' preseason poll.
 
Lauren Thimmesch leads the squad in batting average (.556), runs (6), RBI (6) and home runs (3). She is also tied for the team-high of five hits with Jordan Erickson. Hitting a homer apiece this season has been Haylee Marsteller, Savannah Moore and Erickson. Marsteller is also hitting .500 while Kristen Bell (.400) and Erickson (.455) have posted averages of .400 or better.
 
WU is hitting .304 as a team with a .396 on-base and .533 slugging percentages. They have recorded 28 hits with six leaving the yard and one apiece going for a double and triple. The Ichabods are 2-for-2 stealing bases. In the field, they have struggled with a .903 fielding percentage thanks to 10 errors.
 
Thimmesch has made two appearances in the circle with one start. She is 1-0 with a complete game shutout and has not allowed a run in six innings. Both she and Samantha Carson have three strikeouts apiece. Also making starts this year are Taylor Kemp (0-1, 9.80 ERA) and Marina Quimby (0-0, 4.20 ERA).
 
WU comes into the weekend with a 4.34 ERA in 19.1 innings. Opponents are hitting .353 while striking out only six times and drawing 13 walks. The Ichabods have given up 11 extra-base hits with nine of them being doubles.
 
Scouting St. Mary's
After coming within one game of making the College World Series last season, St. Mary's has begun the 2015 campaign with six consecutive wins in the NFCA Division II Leadoff Classic. Wins for them came over Central Oklahoma, East Central, New Haven, Southeastern Oklahoma State, West Texas A&M and Western Oregon. The Rattlers were selected to come in second in the Heartland Conference behind Lubbock Christian and are 16th in the NCFA Division II Preseason Poll.
 
Three players are hitting over .400 led by Vianna Gutierrez at .667. Nicole Sardelich (.444) and Taylor Vidrine (.526) are the others. All three have hit two home runs as well. Gutierrez paces SMU with nine RBI while Haley Richter has driven in eight. Both Sardelich and Vidrine have scored nine times while Vidrine has a team-high three stolen bases.
 
The Rattlers are batting .299 with 47 hits, a .408 on-base percentage and .478 slugging percentage. They have struck out 38 times but have drawn 25 free passes and been hit six times. One the base path they are a perfect 12-for-12. SMU enters with a .971 fielding percentage and have committed just five errors.
 
Gutierrez is also one of the team's best pitchers as she goes into the invitational with a 3-0 record and 0.74 ERA in 19.0 innings. She also leads the team with 15 strikeouts and two complete games. Hope Russell is also 3-0 and sports a 1.75 ERA over 16.0 frames. Both Veronica Garcia (5.74 ERA) and Kristi Rangel (4.20 ERA) have made two relief appearances.
 
As a team, the Rattlers have a 1.83 ERA, tossed three complete games and have shutout two opponents. Opposing teams are hitting .215 against them while striking out 25 times and getting issued eight walks.
 
Scouting Southwestern Oklahoma State
Southwestern Oklahoma State comes into the tournament with a 1-5 record. They went 1-3 at their own tournament last weekend. Their only victory came over Eastern New Mexico while suffering losses to Newman, Science & Arts and Washburn. The Bulldogs opened the season with two slugfest defeats at Tarleton State. In the 11-team Great American Conference, the Bulldogs were picked to finish 10th in the preseason coaches' poll.
 
Adrienne Martinez comes in pacing the squad with a .438 average, seven RBI, five runs and two home runs. Both Maci Brown and Miranda McDonald are hitting .400. Five runs apiece have been driven in by Tori Hawk and Kaity Rash. A homer has been hit by those two and Taylor Eaves. Ashley Dunigan is the team's top base stealer with three in three attempts.
 
SWOSU comes in hitting .288 as a team with 32 runs scored. Of their 46 hits, 10 have gone for extra bases with five doubles and dingers. The Bulldogs have struck out 32 times and drawn 25 walks while going 6-for-7 stealing bases. In the field, they have committed 13 errors and enter with a .933 fielding percentage.
 
Rileigh Ricken has thrown a complete game and has the team's lone win this season. She is 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 16.0 innings but just three strikeouts. Eaves has stuck out a team best 10 but is 0-3 with a 7.00 ERA. She has thrown 16 innings over five games. Both Molly Vivo (0-1, 9.69 ERA) and Laura Wilson (0-0, 12.00 ERA) have pitched in three games with one start.
 
The Bulldogs have a 5.97 team ERA with 16 strikeouts and 18 walks. Opponents are hitting .347 against them with eight doubles and three homers. SWOSU pitchers have unleased four wild pitches and plunked a batter.
 
Single-Game Caught Stealing Mark
Three times the Javelinas were thrown out trying to steal in the season opener against Texas A&M International. The mark tied the school's single-game school record. The last time the Blue and Gold were thrown out thrice in a game was February 1, 2008 versus Texas Woman's in San Antonio, Texas.
 
Season Openers
Texas A&M-Kingsville improved to 11-8 all-time in season openers after defeating Texas A&M International 4-2. They had previously lost two straight with the last win coming in 2012 versus Texas-Permian Basin (13-0, 5 innings).
 
Opening at Home
When beginning their year at Hubert Field, TAMUK is now 8-3. The Javelinas increased their winning streak to six straight dating back to 2004. Their last defeat in a season opener at home came against St. Mary's in 2003. This year was the first time the Blue and Gold began at home in four years.
 
Opening Series
The Javelinas improved to 31-25 all-time in their first series or tournament of a season with a doubleheader sweep of TAMUI. Last season TAMUK went 2-3 last season to begin the year at a tournament hosted by St. Mary's in San Antonio, Texas.
 
LSC Preseason Poll
Texas A&M-Kingsville was picked to finish eighth in the nine-team Lone Star Conference this year by head coaches, sports information directors and various media members and sports information directors. Last season the Javelinas were also picked eighth when the conference consisted of eight programs. This is the second time in three years the Blue and Gold have been picked to finish next to last in the LSC.
 
Live stats and video will not be available for any of the games this weekend.
 
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