| May 3, 2006
Contact: Kyle Stephens (210) 458-4551 Conference champion Roadrunners set for SLC Tournament Tournament Notes | Live Audio | Live Stats
SAN ANTONIO - For the third consecutive season, the UTSA softball team enters the Southland Conference Tournament as the regular season champion and No. 1 seed. The Roadrunners (33-12) face No. 6 seed Nicholls State (22-31) in the first round on Friday, May 5, at 11 a.m. at Demon Diamond. The winner advances to face the loser of the Texas-Arlington/McNeese State matchup on Saturday at 11 a.m. Sunday’s championship game is set for 1:30 p.m. 2006 Southland Conference Softball Tournament
Friday, May 5 — Sunday, May 7
Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, La.
Friday, May 5
11 a.m. No. 1 UTSA Roadrunners (33-12) vs. No. 6 Nicholls State Colonels (22-31)
1:30 p.m. No. 2 Texas State Bobcats (32-20) vs. No. 5 Northwestern State Demons (28-30)
4 p.m. No. 3 Texas-Arlington Mavericks (28-19) vs. No. 4 McNeese State Cowgirls (21-26)
6:30 p.m. Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser
Saturday, May 6
11 a.m. Game 1 winner vs. Game 3 loser
1:30 p.m. Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner
4 p.m. Game 6 loser vs. Game 4 winner
6:30 p.m. Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner
Sunday, May 7
11 a.m. Game 8 loser vs. Game 7 winner
1:30 p.m. Championship Game: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner • UTSA has won 17 of its last 18 games
• The Roadrunners captured their third consecutive Southland Conference regular season crown with a 22-5 mark
• UTSA went 10-5 versus the SLC Tournament field this season
• The Roadrunners are 12-14 all-time in the SLC Tournament, including 6-2 in the last two
• UTSA won the 2004 SLC Tournament in San Marcos
• McNeese State is the defending champion
Last Time Out:
UTSA swept a home series with Texas-Arlington last weekend, scoring 5-1, 3-1 and 10-2 victories for its fourth straight conference sweep. The Roadrunners pitching staff was in control on Saturday as sophomore Amanda Nikolenko and Ursula Mares combined to hold the Mavericks to two runs on 12 hits. The bats came alive on Sunday as UTSA touched up Jill Garro for a season-high seven home runs, including two apiece from senior Jessica Els and freshman Rachel Rackley. Nikolenko worked five scoreless innings in winning her 21st game of the season.
Conference Champions:
UTSA needed a little help in winning its third consecutive SLC regular season title Sunday. The Roadrunners’ sweep of UTA put them at 22-5, an .815 winning percentage. UTSA needed Texas State (18-3, .857) to lose both games of a doubleheader at Louisiana-Monroe Sunday afternoon, and that is just what happened. The Indians upset the Bobcats, 3-1 and 2-1, getting a bases-loaded ground out to clinch game two and drop Texas State to 18-5 (.783). The 22-5 mark tied the school record for most victories in a 27-game league season as the 2000 squad also went 22-5. UTSA went 20-6 to win the program’s first-ever conference title in 2004 and made it back-to-back with a 21-5 mark last year.
SLC Tournament History:
UTSA is making its ninth SLC Tournament appearance — fifth in last seven years— and owns an all-time record of 12-14, including a 6-2 mark over the past two tournaments. In 2004, the Roadrunners ran the table in San Marcos, run-ruling Northwestern State in the championship game, 11-3. Last year in Hammond, La., McNeese State knocked off UTSA in an elimination game on the final day, 4-3, and double-dipped Sam Houston State, 5-1 and 2-0, to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Nicholls State, UTSA’s opponent in the first round, has the highest all-time winning percentage with a .652 mark (15-8), while Northwestern State has the most victories (33-19). Northwestern State and Texas State are tied with the most tournament titles, three apiece.
Scouting Nicholls State:
The Colonels are 22-31 overall and finished sixth in the league with an 11-15 mark. Nicholls State boasts one of the league’s top offenses with a .2767 batting average, .459 slugging percentage, .333 on-base percentage and 50 home runs. Sophomore shortstop Kathryn Harrell leads the team with a .385 batting average, 12 doubles, three triples, nine home runs, 40 runs, 26 RBI, 11 walks and 12 stolen bases. Senior second baseman Brandi Hahn is hitting .358 with a team-best 10 long balls and 39 RBI, while junior third baseman Leah Peterson is batting .331 with a team-best 19 doubles and 33 RBI. Sophomore right-handers Ally May (7-7, 2.98 ERA) and Krystalin Ensminger (6-8, 3.92) lead the pitching staff. Head coach Jenny Parsons is 40-65 in her second season.
SLC Accolades:
UTSA has earned 11 Aeropostale/SLC Player of the Week accolades this season. Sophomore Amanda Nikolenko has been named Pitcher of the Week four times, picking up her last honor on April 24. Senior Mel Torres and freshman Brittany Cantu earned Hitter of the Week honors on Feb. 14 and March 7, respectively, while Catherine Garza garnered hitting honors on March 27. Juniors Aimee Murray and Ursula Mares swept hitter and pitcher awards on April 10 and junior Stevi Simpson picked up her first hitting accolade on April 17. Jessica Els received Hitter of the Week honors on May 1.
Starting Early:
UTSA has outscored its opponents, 48-12, in the first inning this season and 145-53 in the first three frames combined. UTSA has given up just four runs in the first or second inning over the last 21 games. On the season, the Roadrunners have crossed the plate 254 times and have limited foes to just 125 runs.
No Place Like Home:
UTSA has made Roadrunner Field a tough place to play for opponents. The Roadrunners are 48-7 (.873) at the facility since the beginning of the 2004 season and have won 43 of their last 47 home games.
Going, Going, Gone:
UTSA has led the NCAA in home runs per game in each of the last three seasons. The Roadrunners are in the mix again with 89 in their first 45 contests (1.98 per game). Dating back to the beginning of the 2003 season, UTSA has slugged an amazing 373 home runs in 214 games (1.74 average). As of April 27, the Roadrunners rank first nationally with 1.98 home runs per game, ahead of Louisiana-Lafayette’s 1.77 mark. The Roadrunners trail only Louisiana-Lafayette (92) in total home runs.
Round Trip Ticket:
Entering the UTSA-UTA series last weekend, UTA starting pitchers Laura Jones and Jill Garro had allowed only seven home runs combined on the season. The Roadrunners hit one off Jones in game one in her only appearance, but launched eight off of Garro, including seven in the finale on Sunday. The seven round-trippers in game three is tied for No. 5 on the NCAA’s all-time single-game home run record list behind UTSA’s record 10 against Texas Southern on April 8, 2004, eight in both halves of a doubleheader versus Texas Southern on April 1, 2004, and Texas State’s eight against Stephen F. Austin on March 2, 2002.
RPI Update:
UTSA is 56th in the latest simulated National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) RPI according to warrennolan.com. The Roadrunners are the highest-rated team in the SLC and have the 132nd-toughest schedule in the country. UTSA has a 4-4 record against teams rated in the top 45, boasting wins against Ohio State (35), Utah (39) and Houston (41).
Record Streak:
UTSA set a school record by winning its 14th straight game on April 26 at Texas Tech. The Roadrunners put an April 1-2 home sweep at the hands of Texas State behind them and ran off 14 consecutive victories beginning with 3-2 and 6-3 decisions against Houston. Nine of the 14 wins came on the road, including two straight conference sweeps at Sam Houston State and Nicholls State.
Secret Weapon:
The Roadrunners have made a name nationally for their ability to hit the home run. Over the past three seasons, a vastly improved pitching staff may be the biggest key to being in the mix for a third straight conference title. This year, senior Hope Ortiz, junior Ursula Mares, sophomore Amanda Nikolenko have combined to produce a 2.38 ERA, while striking out 275 batters compared to only 77 walks. Nikolenko leads the staff in victories (21), ERA (2.17), strikeouts (140) and shutouts (3), while Mares owns a 2.52 ERA, 119 strikeouts, a .253 opposing batting average and the only no-hitter of the season on April 19 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Ortiz began the season with 13 and one-third scoreless innings and has compiled a 2-0 record, 2.58 ERA, 14 Ks and only five walks.
Conference Supremacy:
Over the past three seasons of SLC play, UTSA has recorded a 66-16 record (.805). In 2004, the Roadrunners posted a 20-6 mark en route to the program’s first-ever conference championship. Last year, UTSA went 21-5 to capture its second straight regular season crown. This season, the Roadrunners tied a school record for most conference victories in winning their straight crown with a 22-5 mark. UTSA is the winningest program in SLC games only with an all-time record of 235-145 (.618).
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