Roadrunners to host UTSA Invitational this weekendRoadrunners to host UTSA Invitational this weekend
Softball

Roadrunners to host UTSA Invitational this weekend

SAN ANTONIO — UTSA (2-8) will open an 11-game home stand by hosting the North Texas Mean Green (2-4) and the UC Riverside Highlanders (2-6) in the inaugural UTSA Invitational this Friday-Sunday, Feb. 26-28, at Roadrunner Field. The Roadrunners will face UC Riverside at 6 p.m Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday and then play North Texas at 1 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free for all games.


UTSA Invitational schedule (home team listed first)
Friday, Feb. 26
·UC Riverside vs North Texas, 4 p.m.
·UTSA vs. UC Riverside, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 27
·UTSA vs. UC Riverside, 11 a.m.
·North Texas vs. UTSA, 1 p.m.
·UC Riverside vs. North Texas, 3 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 28 (please note time changes)
·North Texas vs. UC Riverside, 11 a.m.
·UTSA vs. North Texas, 1 p.m.

On The Web: UTSA will provide live stats for all games and free live audio (courtesy of Yahoo! Sports) for the Roadrunners' contests at goUTSA.com. Lincoln Rose and Ed Suarez will share play-by-play duties.

Base Hits
·The UTSA Invitational marks the first tournament the Roadrunners have hosted since the UTSA Fastpitch Express Classic on Feb. 11-13, 2005
·The all-time series between UTSA and North Texas, a program that was started in 2005, is tied at 2-2
·The two teams actually faced each other in the 2005 UTSA Fastpitch Express Classic, with the Roadrunners taking a 9-0 victory in a game that spanned two days due to darkness
·UTSA and UC Riverside, a member of the Big West Conference, have never met
·Senior outfielder Rudi Cantu ranks second in school history with six triples, third with 43 stolen bases, eighth with 112 runs and ninth with a .314 batting average
·Cantu is a preseason first-team All-Southland Conference selection, while senior Krista Sitka (1B) and sophomore Ashley Kappler (2B) are second-team picks

Hotel Encanto Invitational Recap: UTSA opened the season with a pair of impressive victories at the Hotel Encanto Invitational held in Las Cruces, N.M. The Roadrunners rallied for a 4-2 victory against UTEP and upset Nebraska, 10-9, in eight innings on Feb. 12. UTSA dropped the final three games of the tournament to Penn State (8-4), New Mexico State (28-7) and Colorado State (5-1). Junior Danyé Holmes hit .417 with two home runs and six RBIs, while sophomore Caitlyn Ivy posted a .412 average, two doubles and a pair of RBIs.

Marriott Houston Invitational Recap: UTSA lost a trio of heartbreakers on the first two days of the Marriott Houston Invitational, falling to No. 15 Texas, 3-2, to No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette, 3-1, and to Purdue, 3-2. The Roadrunners also were run-ruled by Houston, 13-3, and Iowa State, 9-0, in the three-day tournament held at Cougar Stadium.

Series Histories: The all-time series between UTSA and North Texas, a Sun Belt Conference member, is tied at 2-2. The first meeting between the two schools happened at the 2005 UTSA Fastpitch Express Classic — also the last time UTSA hosted a tournament — and the Roadrunners came away with a 9-0 victory in a game that spanned two days due to darkness. The two teams split a doubleheader at Roadrunner Field last February 17, with the Mean Green taking the lid-lifter, 8-3, and the Roadrunners winning, 8-0, in the nightcap. The only other meeting was a 9-4 victory for North Texas on March 19, 2008, in Denton. This weekend will mark the first meetings between UTSA and UC Riverside, a member of the Big West Conference.

Home Field Advantage: Dating back to 2004, UTSA boasts a 74-34 (.685) record at Roadrunner Field. The Roadrunners are 12-10 at home this season, including 8-4 in league action.

Cantu Climbing Career Charts: Senior Rudi Cantu is climbing her way up several UTSA career charts. The Alvin native ranks second in school history with six triples, one shy of Shannon Steadman’s school standard of seven set from 1993-96. The three-time all-conference performer ranks third with 43 stolen bases, one behind Alicia Pierucci for second and within five of Steadman’s school record of 48. Cantu also stands eighth with 112 hits and ninth with a .314 batting average.

UTSA Picked Third in Southland Preseason Polls: UTSA was picked to finish third in both the Southland Conference head coaches and sports information directors preseason polls. Defending champion Texas State was the favorite in both polls, while Stephen F. Austin was chosen second.

Trio Named To Preseason All-Southland Team: Senior Rudi Cantu was named to the Preseason All-Southland Conference First Team in the outfield, while senior Krista Sitka and sophomore Ashley Kappler were second-team selections at first and second base, respectively.

Head Coach Lori Cook: Head coach Lori Cook is in her fifth season at the helm of the program and is in her 10th year overall in the Alamo City. In her four-plus seasons as the third head coach in school history, Cook has posted a 120-107 record, including a 78-38 (.672) 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 Southland regular season and one tournament crown and made one NCAA Tournament appearance. Fifteen Roadrunners have combined to earn 20 All-Southland 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 continue its home stand with the Southland Conference-opening series against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday-Wednesday, March 2-3.