STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Softball) – Texas A&M University-Kingsville (13-11, 5-6 LSC) will challenge Tarleton State University (19-12, 7-6 LSC) in a three-game series beginning Friday at 6 p.m. at the TexAnn Softball Complex.

Despite losing its last four games, Texas A&M-Kingsville has a favorable series matchup against Tarleton State this weekend. The Javelinas trail the TexAnns in the overall series 33-44 but has had their number as of late, winning four of the last six games including a 3-1 series victory last season in South Texas. The Hogs are 5-5 this season on the road and are 10-21 all-time against the Texans when playing as the visitors.

Victoria Schoonard-Saborio paces the way offensively for TAMUK with a team-best .408 batting average, 31 hits and four homers. Haley Boyett (.360) has 27 hits, four stolen bases and matches Roxy Chapa (.303) with six multiple his games. Chapa has three home runs with 14 runs batted in this season and Rachael Longoria (.300) also has three dingers on the year and leads the team with 15 ribbies.

Randa Hatter has been putting in work in both the batters box as well as inside of the circle in 2017. The freshman has a .328 batting average with three home runs, while posting a 3-3 record with the ball in her hand and a bullpen-low 3.02 ERA. The Oklahoma native has tossed three complete games, one shutout and opposing batters hit just .185 off of her powerful pitch. Breanna Smith (6-5, 3.41 ERA) ranks third in the league with 66 strikeouts in 65.2 innings pitched. She has thrown six complete games, two shutouts and has accounted for one save. Carlie Clark (1-2, 3.38 ERA) and Sarah Gilbert (3-1, 4.48 ERA) have seen time on the rubber this season and combines for 45 strikeouts and 22 walks in 54 innings pitched. 

Tarleton State is on a three-game winning streak and post an 8-4 record at home in 2017. The TexAnns dropped a pair of conference series against A&M-Commerce and Cameron, 2-1, but has topped Eastern New Mexico and perennial national championship threat #12 West Texas A&M by the same margin.

As a unit, the club from Stephenville has a batting average of .323 (third in the LSC) and has six home runs. Nyla Wood leads TSU with a .432 average, three home runs and 37 RBIs while adding 41 hits. The latter two statistics ranks second in the LSC. Wood trails teammate Maddie Quintanar (.407) who is atop the LSC with 44 hits and has logged a team best 34 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases. 

The purple club's bullpen averages a 2.42 ERA led by junior Haley Freyman (10-5, 2.20 ERA) who has pitched 12 complete games, four shutouts and four saves with 51 strikeouts and 41 walks. Jordan Withrow (5-4, 2.47 ERA) has put out four complete games and a shutout, while setting down a team-high 58 batters in 56 innings pitched.

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