KINGSVILLE, Texas (Softball) – In an attempt to avoid bad weather, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (13-7, 5-4 LSC) will push back its series against Texas Woman's University (13-10, 4-5 LSC) one day at Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field. The series is slated to begin Saturday, March 11 with a single game at 5 p.m. and conclude with a doubleheader on Sunday at 12 and 2 p.m.
The Javelinas return home where they are 5-0 overall and 3-0 in Lone Star Conference play. TAMUK is led by Victoria Schoonard-Saborio who leads the team with a .432 batting average, 28 hits and four home runs this season. The sophomore has been very consistent in 2017 as she also paces the club with a .631 slugging percentage and bats .538 with runners in scoring position. Haley Boyett follows (.355 average) with 22 hits, and team-highs of four stolen bags and two triples. Boyett has a couple of streaks going such as an 11-game hitting streak and team-best 13-game reached based streak. Randa Hatter (.354, 17 hits, three HR) and Rachael Longoria (.333, 16 runs scored, three HR) round out the top hitters although Sydney Andrews is 6-of-20 at the plate and matches Arabella Acosta-Cantu (.273) with three stolen bases.
A&M-Kingsville's pitching staff is showing early signs of promise as three of their four pitchers are in the top ten of the LSC in lowest opposing batting average. Hatter (3-3) is second in the league at .180, Breanna Smith (6-3) is fifth at .217 and Carlie Clark (1-1) is ranked eighth at .243. Sarah Gilbert is not too far behind with a .246 average and has a spotless 3-0 record in the circle. Smith ranks fourth in the conference with 59 strikeouts and has tossed five complete games with one save and a 3.20 ERA. Clark leads with a bullpen-low 2.69 ERA and has sat down 22 batters with just nine walks in 26 innings. Although Hatter leads the LSC with 19 wild pitches, she has 25Ks on the year and a 3.44 ERA.
Texas Woman's has won its last four games, all against Western New Mexico, but opened conference play with a 2-1 series loss against Cameron (6-7, 2-1, 4-6) and was manhandled by No. 7 West Texas A&M (1-20, 1-16, 0-12) in all three games. The Pioneers will have a single game against St. Edward's today before making the trip to South Texas.
Nicole Nordie leads the maroons with a .493 batting average, 35 hits, 19 RBIs and 16 runs scored, while adding three home runs. Katy Stephens follows with a .421 average (nine RBIs in 38 at bats) and Hazel Puempel rounds out the .400 batters after hitting .407 with 22 hits. Tylia Sylestine (.344) matches Nordie with seven doubles this year but leads the team with 21 ribbies and four homers.
Abby Walker (6-3) is the captain of the bullpen with a 3.32 ERA, 59 strikeouts, six complete games and has thrown three shutouts. Tori Bice (who bats .368 with 25 hits and two home runs) has a 3-6 record with 28 putouts and a 6.28 ERA. Hailey Dixon (4-1) has a 6.40 ERA in 27.1 innings pitched.
TWU has a 46-31-2 advantage in the all-time series against TAMUK with 20 of their wins occurring at Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field. The last time the series was hosted in Kingsville was in 2015 when TWU won 3-0-1 with the final game ending in a 1-1 tie. The last win at home for the Hogs against the Pioneers was in 2011 (7-2) and has won only two games verses the LSC foe in five years.
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