KINGSVILLE, Texas (Softball) – Texas A&M University-Kingsville (22-21, 11-11 LSC) will have an extra day of preparation before challenging #6 West Texas A&M University (35-8, 19-5 LSC) due to inclement weather on Friday. The series will start with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 22 beginning at 2 p.m. and end with a single game on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Schaeffer Park.
The Javelinas swept Eastern New Mexico last weekend with two of the three games resulting in a shutout to boost their record to .500 in conference play. As the race gets tighter towards the conference tournament, TAMUK will play arguably their toughest opponent on their home turf to close out their regular season road schedule. The Javelinas offense will be tested, but they are led by Victoria Schoonard-Saborio who ranks third in the LSC with a .454 batting average. The sophomore first baseman has a reached base safely streak of 21 games, a ten-game hitting streak and 19 multiple hit games in 2017.Vic ties the 2016 All-American Roxy Chapa (.355) with seven home runs this season who also leads the club with 32 RBIs and has her own five-game hitting streak brewing. Haley Boyett has a .359 batting average and leads the team with seven stolen bases, while Rachael Longoria (.341) has 47 hits, 35 runs scored and four home runs this season.
LSC Pitcher of the Week Breanna Smith (8-7, 4.20 ERA) leads the pitching staff with 93.1 innings pitched and 81 strikeouts. The ace has thrown seven complete games highlighted by three shutout victories and two saves. Randa Hatter is 5-5 in the circle this year with a bullpen-low 3.63 ERA and has 54 putouts. Hatter also produces at the plate with a .311 batting average and five home runs this season. The rotation on the rubber concludes with Sarah Gilbert (6-2, 3.93 ERA) and Carlie Clark (3-7, 4.33 ERA) who threw her second career no-hitter against Eastern New Mexico to open the series.
West Texas A&M split a doubleheader with toped ranked NAIA ball club, Oklahoma City on Tuesday evening. The Stars ended the Lady Buffs 24-game home winning streak but WTAMU got the last laugh as their win ended OCU's 52-game winning streak. West Texas enters the conference showdown with a 19-5 LSC record and an impressive 20-1 record at home in 2017. The Lady Buffs are led offensively by Shea Ibrahim whose .471 batting average is second in the league. Ibrahim also paces the club with 52 ribbies and has accumulated 57 hits, 46 runs scored and ten home runs this season. The bullpen has been the money maker for the Maroon team as the pitching staff averages a 2.50 ERA. Kilee Halbert leads the charge with a 17-3 record and 1.58 ERA. In 120 innings pitched, Halbert has thrown 91 strikeouts, and walked 43 batters. The junior has also tossed 15 complete games highlighted by four shutouts.
The Blue and Gold trail in the all-time series against West Texas A&M 14-25 overall and are 7-10 when playing in Canyon.
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