SAN ANTONIO — UTSA will look to remain unbeaten in Conference USA play when it travels to Charlotte this weekend for a three-game series at D.L. Phillips Softball Complex.
The Roadrunners (9-16, 3-0 C-USA) and 49ers (16-8, 0-3 C-USA) will meet in a noon doubleheader on Saturday and that will be followed by an 11 a.m. (CT) contest on Sunday. Sunday’s matchup will be televised on FOX Sports Networks with Dave Barnett (play-by-play) and Tracy Warren (analysis) calling the action.
UTSA is coming off a sweep of North Texas last weekend at Roadrunner Field. The Roadrunners hit a C-USA-leading six homers during the sweep, including three from Randee Crawford. Jade Smith hit .500 and Chelsea Thomas registered a .444 average during the series as UTSA hit .333 as a team. In the circle, Nicole Merrill allowed just one earned run in 7.1 innings as she picked up a win and a save.
Meanwhile, Charlotte has lost its last four contests including a three-game sweep at the hands of FIU last weekend in Miami. The 49ers are led by Haley Pace, who is hitting .351 with three homers and 26 RBIs, which rank second in the league. Charlotte has four regular starters hitting better than .300, including Lizzy Birch (.352), Kiersten Berrier (.342) and Grace Beatty (.333). Lexi Betancourt leads the pitching staff with a 2.16 ERA, which ranks fifth in the circuit, to go along with 93 strikeouts (3rd in C-USA) and a 10-5 record.
UTSA and Charlotte have split the previous six meetings the series, all of which have come in San Antonio during the last two seasons. The Roadrunners never have played in Charlotte.