UTSA Roadrunners (18-15, 13-5) vs. Texas State Bobcats (23-11, 13-2)
Friday, April 4 ? 5 p.m. (DH) | Saturday, April 5 ? 1 p.m.
Roadrunner Field (300) ? San Antonio, Texas
Series Record: Texas State leads, 29-27
Last Meeting: UTSA, 4-0 (May 10, 2007)
SAN ANTONIO ? UTSA (18-15, 13-5 SLC) hosts I-35 rival TexasState (23-11, 13-2) in a pivotal three-game Southland Conference seriesthis Friday-Saturday, April 4-5, at Roadrunner Field. First pitch in aFriday twinbill is set for 5 p.m., followed by a single game at 1 p.m.Saturday.
Tuning In: Live stats and audio (Rowdy Zone subscribers) will be provided for all three games at goUTSA.com. Ed Suarez has the call.
Base Hits
? UTSA is 8-5 at Roadrunner Field this year and 68-20 (.773) since 2004
? Texas State leads the all-time series, 29-27, and has won seven of the last nine meetings, including three straight in San Antonio
? The Roadrunners have won eight of their last nine conference games and have swept three league series this season (McNeese State, Southeastern Louisiana, Central Arkansas)
? Senior Amanda Nikolenko has broken four UTSA career records this season ? wins (64), starts (99), innings (674.2) and strikeouts (553)
? Sophomore Rudi Cantu is hitting .489 with 14 runs in 13 games at Roadrunner Field
? Freshman Dany? Holmes batted .407 with three doubles, six home runs, 26 RBIs and 11 walks in the month of March
? UTSA will retire the No. 29 jersey of former standout Jessica Rogers prior to Saturday’s game ... she will join Amanda Michalsky (No. 6) as the only two Roadrunners to have their number retired
Scouting Texas State: The Bobcats have won nine of their last 10 games and enter the series 23-11 overall and 13-2 in league play. Texas State is led by a strong pitching staff of Katie Garnett (11-3, 1.91 ERA), Ragan Blake (10-8, 2.74) and Elizabeth Dennis (2-0, 2.69), as Blake also owns a team-high 116 strikeouts this season. McKenzie Baack leads the offense with a .349 batting average, while Alex Newton is hitting .321 with 18 RBIs and nine stolen bases. Head coach Ricci Woodard is 289-158-1 in her eighth season at the helm.
Nicholls State Series Rewind: UTSA took 2-of-3 games at Nicholls State last weekend in Thibodaux, La. Senior Amanda Nikolenko struck out 11 and allowed just one run on three hits, while freshman Dany? Holmes went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, as UTSA won game one, 8-1. The Roadrunners scored four runs in the last two innings, capped by an RBI-single from sophomore Rudi Cantu in the seventh, for an 8-7 victory in game two. The Colonels held off a late UTSA rally with the winning at the plate in the seventh in the finale, a 4-2 win for Nicholls State.
A Look At The SLC Standings: UTSA is currently in second place in the Southland Conference standings at 13-5. Texas State leads with a 13-2 mark, while Stephen F. Austin is close behind in third at 10-4.
SLC Supremacy: UTSA is the winningest program in Southland Conference history, owning a 263-162 (.619) all-time record in conference games. Dating back to 2004, the Roadrunners are 94-33 (.740) in league play. UTSA won three consecutive SLC regular season crowns from 2004-06 and captured SLC Tournament titles in 2004 and 2006.
Tough Slate: UTSA is facing a tough schedule this year, including five teams that made the 2007 NCAA Tournament. Houston is ranked No. 9 in this week’s USA Today/NFCA Top 25, while Baylor, Missouri and Texas State are receiving votes.
Career Record Watch: Senior Amanda Nikolenko has set four UTSA career pitching records this season ? wins (64), starts (99), innings (674.2) and strikeouts (553). The right-hander from Ashland, Mo., is within striking distance of the school marks for complete games (67/72) and shutouts (13/19).
A New Era: Lori Cook is in her third year as head coach with a career 82-60 record (.577). In her first season in 2006, UTSA went 37-14, won its third consecutive SLC regular season title with a 22-5 mark, won the SLC Tournament for the second time in three years and made its second NCAA Tournament appearance.
Up Next: UTSA plays nationally-ranked Houston in a non-conference doubleheader at 4 p.m. next Wednesday, April 9.
