Kingsville - Another weekend, another crucial Lone Star Conference doubleheader for the Texas A&M - Kingsville softball team as it takes on No.20 Oklahoma Christian at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Friday at Tuloso Midway Field.

Javelina Softball Weekend Schedule

Friday, March 28th:
Doubleheader VS No.20 Oklahoma Christian (FloCollege)
6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. @ Tuloso Midway High School

Projected Starters:
TAMUK Game One: Arianna Alaniz (Fr. RHP) - (9-7), 2.56 ERA, 82.0 IP, 1.02 WHIP, 61 H, 30 ER, .196 oAVG, 124 Ks
OC Game One: Jill Dickson (Jr.) - (10-7), 3.34 ERA, 94.1 IP, 1.37 WHIP, 74 H, 34 ER, .213 oAVG, 110 Ks
TAMUK Game Two: Esther Martinez (Fr. LHP) - (3-4), 4.60 ERA, 62.1 IP, 1.81 WHIP, 79 H, 41 ER, .302 oAVG, 31 Ks
OC Game Two: Grace Anderson (Sr.) - (11-5), 2.19 ERA, 108.2 IP, 1.04 WHIP, 90 H, 34 ER, .222 oAVG, 116 Ks

Sunday, March 30th:
Doubleheader VS Cameron (FloCollege)
12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Projected Starters:
TAMUK Game One: Arianna Alaniz (Fr. RHP) - (9-7), 2.56 ERA, 82.0 IP, 1.02 WHIP, 61 H, 30 ER, .196 oAVG, 124 Ks
CAM Game One: TBA
TAMUK Game Two: Esther Martinez (Fr. LHP) - (3-4), 4.60 ERA, 62.1 IP, 1.81 WHIP, 79 H, 41 ER, .302 oAVG, 31 Ks
CAM Game Two: TBA

After a pair of splits against St. Edward's and St. Mary's last weekend, the Javelinas have another key matchup with a team stuck in the logjam at the top of the LSC. The teams currently in the four through eight seed in the conference are separated by just one game heading into this weekend's matchups, with Kingsville and OC being one of them. 

"We are looking forward to getting back on the field versus a very well-coached, very fundamentally-sound Oklahoma Christian," Head Coach Orlando Salinas said. "As we get through the midpoint of our conference, our goal is to continue improving on every facet of the game that way we peak at the right time." 

Despite having lost four of its last six games, Oklahoma Christian is having another stellar season. Just four of its losses since the start of LSC play have come against a team that wasn't ranked top 10 in the nation at the time of the matchup. 

The team's offense, overall, has been middle-of-the-road, but its defense has been fantastic. The Eagles boast the fourth-best team ERA in the conference and lead the LSC in total strikeouts. Its two ace pitchers, Dickson and Anderson, have collected the third- and fourth-most Ks in the conference respectively.

TAMUK Notes:
As a team, the Javelinas are fourth in the Lone Star in on-base percentage with .400 and first in walks with 136
Graduate student outfielder Lindsey Evans enters the weekend hitting .466, the fifth-best mark in the LSC
Graduate student outfielder AJ Jasso and freshman third baseman Alexis Soliz are 29th and 35th in the conference in batting average - hitting .368 and .360 respectively. 
Jasso leads the team in RBIs with 27 (the 20th-most in the LSC) - the team has five different players with at least 17 
Freshman right hander Arianna Alaniz's 124 strikeouts are the most in the LSC and tied for the eighth-most in the NCAA this year - she ranks fifth in the nation in strikeouts per seven innings with 10.5
Alaniz has already won multiple LSC Pitcher of the Week awards in her young career, having thrown a five-inning no-hitter against No.22 Lubbock Christian - she has already posted four games this season with double digit strikeouts, and has thrown three complete-game shutouts
Kingsville has four players, Laney Doelitsch, Dakota Martinez, Evans, and AJ Jasso with at least four homers on the season - Evans and Martinez each have six (tied for 11th in the Lone Star)