UTSA Roadrunners (4-6) vs. North Texas Mean Green (3-2)
Tuesday, Feb. 17
Roadrunner Field (300) ? San Antonio, Texas
Series History: Tied, 1-1
Last Meeting: North Texas, 9-4 (March 19, 2008)
SAN ANTONIO ? UTSA (4-6) will host North Texas (3-2) in its home opener on Tuesday, Feb. 17. First pitch in the doubleheader is slated for 1 p.m. at Roadrunner Field.
On The Web: UTSA will provide live stats and free live audio streaming online at Yahoo Broadcasts.
Base Hits:
? UTSA is 12-5 all-time in home openers, including 2-1 under Lori Cook
? The all-time series between UTSA and North Texas is tied at 1-1
? The Mean Green won the last meeting, 9-4, on March 19, 2008, in Denton
? UTSA won the first meeting, 9-0, on Feb. 12, 2005, at Roadrunner Field
? Sophomore Dany? Holmes carries a seven-game hitting streak into Tuesday’s twinbill
? Last year, Holmes became the first Roadrunner to earn all-conference honors at two different positions in the same season (2nd team pitcher, 3rd team catcher)
? Senior Leanne Risberg has 25 career home runs and will move into a tie for 10th place on UTSA’s all-time list with her next long ball
? Junior Rudi Cantu recorded her fifth career triple against Prairie View A&M on Feb. 8, moving her into a four-way tie for third place on UTSA’s career list ... Shannon Steadman holds the school record with seven
UTSA/North Texas Series History: The all-time series between UTSA and North Texas is tied at 1-1. UTSA won the first meeting, 9-0, on Feb. 12, 2005, at Roadrunner Field in a Fastpitch Express College Classic game that was suspended due to darkness after two innings the previous day. The Mean Green took the last meeting, 9-4, on March 19, 2008, in Denton.
Getterman Classic Rewind: UTSA picked up a pair of wins against Southland Conference rivals (counted as non-conference games) at the Getterman Classic in Waco last weekend. The Roadrunners pounded Stephen F. Austin, 7-3, as sophomore Kristin Kappler went 2-for-4 with a home run to lead a 10-hit attack. UTSA edged Northwestern State, 2-1, in eight innings on Sunday. Sophomore Dany? Holmes tossed a complete-game five-hitter and launched a mammoth, walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to seal the victory. The Roadrunners dropped a close 1-0 contest to Mississippi on Friday and also fell to Baylor (7-3) and New Mexico (10-1).
Memorable Debut: Freshman Amber Anderson enjoyed a memorable debut weekend at the Aggie Classic in College Station on Feb. 6-8. The Alvin native batted .588 with 10 hits, three runs, two doubles, a pair of home runs, five RBIs, a 1.059 slugging percentage and a .611 on-base percentage. She went a combined 6-for-8 with three RBIs on day one of the tournament, including a solo home run in her first-ever collegiate at-bat against Tulsa. Anderson is believed to be the first Roadrunner to ever go yard in her first at-bat with the program. On Feb. 10, she was tabbed Southland Conference Hitter of the Week for her performance.
Alvin Express: A pair of Roadrunners ? junior Rudi Cantu and freshman Amber Anderson ? hail from Alvin, Texas, the hometown of Nolan Ryan. Cantu has been named all-conference in each of her first two seasons with the program, including first-team accolades at second base last year after batting .316 with a team-high 56 hits and 38 runs scored in her sophomore campaign. Cantu is a preseason first-team All-SLC pick this year and is tied for third on UTSA’s career triples list with five and seventh with 22 stolen bases. Anderson helped guide Alvin to the Class 5A State Championship last season, earning all-state and state tournament MVP honors. She put together an impressive debut weekend at the Aggie Classic on Feb. 6-8, batting .588 with 10 hits, including a pair of home runs, and five RBIs and was tabbed SLC Hitter of the Week the following Tuesday.
Dual Threats: UTSA has several players who can contribute at the plate and in the circle, beginning with sophomore Dany? Holmes. The Sugar Land native became the first player in school history to earn all-conference honors at two different positions in the same season when she was named second team at pitcher and third team at designated player. Holmes batted .357 at the Getterman Classic last weekend, collecting five hits and three RBIs, including the game-winning, two-run blast in the 2-1 Northwestern State victory on Sunday. In fact, UTSA boasts four pitchers who also will see time at the plate. Sophomore Emily Humpal, a Corpus Christi native who transferred after her freshman season at Creighton, has made four appearances in the circle, posting a win and a save, and has been in the lineup at first base twice through the first five games. Freshman Amber Anderson has pitched in a pair of games and is the team’s leading hitter with her .588 batting average. Freshman Morgan Luksa pitched against Prairie View A&M and also should see time in the outfield this season.
SLC Preseason Polls: UTSA has been picked to finish third in the Southland Conference Preseason Polls by both the head coaches and sports information directors. The Roadrunners picked up one first-place vote and tallied 90 points in the coaches’ poll for third behind preseason favorite and defending SLC Tournament Champion Stephen F. Austin and defending regular season champ Texas State. UTSA garnered a pair of first-place votes and 84 total points in the SIDs’ poll for third behind SFA and Texas State.
Trio named to Preseason All-SLC Team: Junior Rudi Cantu has been named to the Southland Conference Preseason First Team at second base, while senior outfielder Leanne Risberg and sophomore pitcher/designated player Dany? Holmes are second-team selections.
Head Coach Lori Cook: Head coach Lori Cook is in her fourth season at the helm of the program and is in her ninth year overall in the Alamo City. In her three seasons as the third head coach in school history, Cook has posted 93-76 record (.550 winning percentage), including a 60-27 (.690) mark in Southland Conference play. Under her direction, UTSA has won at least 18 conference games and finished in the top three in the league standings each season, captured one SLC regular season and one tournament crown and made one NCAA Tournament appearance. Fifteen Roadrunners have combined to earn 20 All-SLC accolades during her head coaching tenure. Prior to her promotion to head coach in September 2005, Cook spent one season as associate head coach after serving as assistant coach for three seasons and a volunteer assistant in 2001, all under Corrie Hill. A native of Napa, Calif., Cook also has coached at Baylor (1999-2000), Cosumnes River College (1996-98), Peanut (Italy) Softball Club (1995-96), Napa Valley College (1991-95), Cal State Hayward (1990-91). She played two seasons at Napa Valley College before finishing her collegiate career at Nebraska in 1989-90. Cook also played professionally overseas for Ronchi dei Legionari (Italy) in 1992.
Next Up: UTSA will take this weekend off before opening Southland Conference play with a three-game series at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi next Tuesday-Wednesday, Feb. 24-25.
