UTSA Roadrunners (12-12, 7-5 SLC) at Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions (9-15, 0-9 SLC)
Saturday, March 21 ? 3/5 p.m. (DH) | Sunday, March 22 ? noon
North Oak Park (500) ? Hammond, La.
Series History: UTSA leads, 26-9
Last Meeting: UTSA, 3-2 (March 16, 2008)
SAN ANTONIO ? After winning its third Southland Conference series ofthe season against UT Arlington last Sunday-Monday in San Antonio, UTSA(12-12, 7-5 SLC) will travel to Hammond, La., for a three-game leagueset against Southeastern Louisiana (9-15, 0-9 SLC) this weekend. Firstpitch in a Saturday doubleheader is set for 3 p.m. at North Oak Parkfollowed by a single game at noon Sunday.
On The Web: UTSA will provide live stats and free audio for all three contests at goUTSA.com.
UTSA to Debut Video Streaming on Tuesday: UTSA will debut live video streaming at the home doubleheader against UTEP at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24. All fans can enjoy a free preview of both games and a Rowdy Zone subscription ($5.95/month) will be required for future contests. Please visit goUTSA.com for the latest video streaming schedule.
Base Hits:
? UTSA has won nine of its past 11 Southland Conference series dating back to a sweep of Southeastern Louisiana on March 15-16, 2008, in San Antonio
? The Roadrunners have won 16 straight meetings with the Lady Lions and lead the all-time series, 26-9, including 12-1 in Hammond
? Fourth-year head coach Lori Cook picked up win No. 100 for her UTSA career in Sunday’s 8-5 victory against UT Arlington
? UTSA leads the Southland Conference in batting (.289), slugging (.433) and fielding (.972)
? The Roadrunners are 9-0 when they score six or more runs and are 10-2 when leading after five innings
? After this weekend, UTSA will have played 19 of its first 27 games away from home
? Senior Leanne Risberg moved into sole possession of ninth place on the school’s career home runs chart with 28 after hitting two against UT Arlington on Sunday
? Risberg is riding a season-long nine-game hitting streak and is hitting .414 with three home runs and 10 RBIs during the stretch
? Junior Kelly Cato (Feb. 24) and freshman Amber Anderson (Feb. 10) have earned SLC Hitter of the Week honors this season
UTSA/Southeastern Louisiana Series History: The Roadrunners lead the all-time series against the Lady Lions, 26-9, and have won 16 straight meetings. UTSA is 12-1 against Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond with the only loss a 4-1 setback on March 24, 2002. Last season, the Roadrunners swept three games in San Antonio, 3-0, 2-1 and 3-2, and they downed the Lady Lions, 3-1, 7-6 and 11-2, in their last appearance at North Oak Park.
Scouting Southeastern Louisiana: The Lady Lions have dropped their first nine league games and enter the weekend at 9-15 on the season after a 2-1 victory against Grambling on Wednesday. Sophomore Katie Duhe leads the offense with a .343 batting average, eight doubles, 10 RBIs and seven stolen bases, while junior Chelsea Takacs is hitting .314. Juniors Catherine Gunter (3-7, 4.91 ERA) and Jenna Yoder (3-4, 8.61 ERA) are the top two pitchers on a staff that has a 6.24 combined ERA. Head coach Pete Langlois is 341-431 in his 15th season at the helm.
Last Time Out: UTSA took two of three games from UT Arlington last Sunday-Monday at Roadrunner Field. The Roadrunners dropped a heartbreaking 5-3 decision in nine innings in the opener, but bounced back for an 8-5 win in game two behind two home runs and five RBIs from senior Leanne Risberg. In the rubber game, sophomore Emily Humpal hit the game-winning home run in the fourth inning and earned the win in relief in the 5-3 victory.
Major Milestones: UTSA picked up victory No. 500 for the program in an 8-0 run-ruling at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 24. The Roadrunners now own an all-time record of 505-424-2. Additionally, fourth-year head coach Lori Cook earned win No. 100 with an 8-5 victory over UT Arlington on March 15. She now totes a UTSA career record of 101-89, including a 67-32 (.677) mark in Southland Conference games.
Putting In Extra Time: UTSA has played four extra-inning games this season and is 2-2 in those contests. The Roadrunners opened the season with a 4-3 loss to Tulsa in eight frames at the Aggie Classic, but outlasted Northwestern State, 2-1, in eight in the final game of the Getterman Classic the following weekend. Senior Leanne Risberg’s walk-off grand slam in the eighth lifted the Roadrunners to a 10-6 win over Sam Houston State on March 1, and UT Arlington edged UTSA, 5-3, in nine innings on March 15.
SLC Accolades: Two Roadrunners have earned Southland Conference Hitter of the Week honors in the first three weeks of the season. On Feb. 10, freshman Amber Anderson picked up the award after batting .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 in the Aggie Classic on Feb. 6-8. On Feb. 24, junior Kelly Cato collected weekly accolades after batting .833 (5-for-6) with two home runs and six RBIs in the North Texas doubleheader on Feb. 10.
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. Cantu, a preseason first-team All-SLC pick who is hitting .289 with seven stolen bases, is tied for second on UTSA’s career triples list with six and ranks fifth with 26 stolen bases. Anderson helped guide Alvin to the Class 5A State Championship last season, earning all-state and state tournament MVP honors. She is batting a team-best .367 with eight doubles, three home runs and 17 RBIs and was tabbed SLC Hitter of the Week on Feb. 10.
Brazoswood Buddies: Three of UTSA’s four starting infielders all hail from Brazoswood High School, located in Clute, Texas. Junior shortstop Kelly Cato and sisters Kristin, a sophomore third baseman, and Ashley, a freshman second baseman, Kappler all played for the Buccaneers, a traditionally-strong prep program.
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 is batting .314 with two home runs and nine RBIs and in the circle she owns a 5-4 record, 2.10 ERA, two shutouts and 56 strikeouts in 63.1 innings. 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, totes a 3.45 ERA, 6-6 record, one save and 49 strikeouts in 77 frames. Freshman Amber Anderson has pitched in six games and is the team’s leading hitter with her .367 batting average, while freshman Morgan Luksa, who boasts a 2.80 ERA in two appearances, has started two games at designated player and one in left field.
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-plus seasons as the third head coach in school history, Cook has posted a 101-89 record (.532 winning percentage), including a 67-32 (.677) 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 open an 11-game homestand with a non-conference twinbill against UTEP on Tuesday, March 24.
