SAN ANTONIO ? In the midst of a seven-game road trip, UTSA (18-20) willlook to snap a six-game losing streak when it faces Texas Tech (13-31)in a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 15. First pitch in game one is setfor 2 p.m. at Rocky Johnson Field in Lubbock.
UTSA Roadrunners (18-20) at Texas Tech Red Raiders (13-31)
Tuesday, April 15 ? 2 p.m. (DH)
Rocky Johnson Field (589) ? Lubbock, Texas
Series Record: UTSA leads, 9-8
Last Meeting: Texas Tech, 6-3 (March 16, 2007)
Tuning In: Both games can be heard live on goUTSA.com (Rowdy Zone subscription required) with Sports Information Director Kyle Stephens handling the call. Live stats also will be provided on goUTSA.com.
Base Hits
? UTSA leads the all-time series with Texas Tech, 9-8, but the Red Raiders have won the last three meetings
? The Roadrunners are 2-2 against Texas Tech in Lubbock, splitting adoubleheader on April 26, 2006, in their last appearance at RockyJohnson Field
? UTSA is 9-10 in road games, including 3-7 in non-conference tilts
? Texas Tech is the fourth Big 12 opponent UTSA has faced this season (2-4 record against Baylor, Missouri and Texas)
? The Roadrunners are 13-2 when holding their opponents to two runs or less and are 11-1 when leading after six innings
? Senior Kourtney Jones is currently riding a four-game hitting streak in which she is batting .455 with two walks
? Senior Amanda Nikolenko already has broken four UTSA career pitchingrecords this season ? starts (102), innings (691.2), wins (64) andstrikeouts (562) ? and needs just three complete games to match thecareer mark of 72 set by Jennifer Drake (1995-98)
Scouting Texas Tech: The Red Raiders dropped to 13-31 on the seasonafter dropping all four Big 12 Conference games last week, two toOklahoma and two to Missouri. Leah Legler leads the offense with a .349batting average, while Montana Patin is the top power hitter with sixdoubles, five home runs and 30 RBIs. Ashly Jacobs leads the pitchingstaff with a 6-12 record, 2.23 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 138 innings.
Week In Review: UTSA dropped a doubleheader at No. 10 Houston onWednesday. The Cougars rode the right arm of Angel Shamblin to a 3-0victory in game one, as she struck out seven and allowed just two buntsingles to senior Kourtney Jones. Houston took a 5-0 lead after fourinnings in the nightcap behind a three-run homer from Elaina Nordstromand a two-run double by Casey Willow, but the Roadrunners mounted acomeback, as sophomore Krista Sitka slugged her sixth home run of theseason in the fifth and two more runs crossed in the sixth on agroundout to third and a single up the middle by freshman Dany? Holmes.With the winning run at the plate, Shamblin came on in relief andpicked up the save through the final inning and a third.
SLC Supremacy: UTSA is the winningest program in Southland Conferencehistory, owning a 263-165 (.614) all-time record in conference games.Dating back to 2004, the Roadrunners are 94-36 (.723) in league play.UTSA won three consecutive SLC regular season crowns from 2004-06 andcaptured SLC Tournament titles in 2004 and 2006.
Tough Slate: UTSA is facing a tough schedule this year, including fiveteams that made the 2007 NCAA Tournament. Houston is ranked No. 10 inlast week’s USA Today/NFCATop 25, while Baylor, Missouri and Texas State are receiving votes.Houston is No. 11 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25, while Missouriand Baylor are receiving votes. The Roadrunners defeated Texas, 3-2,when it was ranked No. 22 on Feb. 9, in Austin, and own a 4-1 winagainst Missouri on March 25.
On The Road Again: The Roadrunners are in the midst of a seven-gameroad trip this week, their second-longest of the season after openingthe year with 10 straight away from home. All told, UTSA will play just19 of 49 regular season contests at Roadrunner Field.
Career Record Watch: Senior Amanda Nikolenko has set four UTSA careerpitching records this season ? wins (64), starts (102), innings (691.2)and strikeouts (562). The right-hander from Ashland, Mo., is withinstriking distance of the school marks for complete games (69/72) andshutouts (13/19).
A New Era: Lori Cook is in her third year as head coach with a career82-65 record (.558). In her first season in 2006, UTSA went 37-14, wonits third consecutive SLC regular season title with a 22-5 mark, wonthe SLC Tournament for the second time in three years and made itssecond NCAA Tournament appearance.
Up Next: UTSA travels to Natchitoches, La., for a three-game SouthlandConference series against Northwestern State on Saturday-Sunday, April19-20.
