SAN ANTONIO — The UTSA softball team will host Louisiana Tech in a three-game Conference USA series this weekend at Roadrunner Field. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. followed by a single game at the same time the following afternoon.
UTSA will honor its eight seniors — Randee Crawford, Alyssa Cummings, Madison Kinley, Nicole Merrill, Angelica Niño, Taylor Oberg, Chelsea Parker, Kaley Pyles — after Sunday's finale.
The Roadrunners (17-27, 7-11 C-USA) are looking to keep pace in the race for one of the eight spots in the C-USA Tournament, which will be played from May 10-13 in Hattiesburg, Miss. UTSA enters the weekend in a tie with Southern Miss for ninth place in the league — fourth in the West Division. UAB (7-8), WKU (8-10) and Charlotte (6-9) occupy places six through eight, respectively.
Lindsey Stewart and Celeste Loughman continue to lead a UTSA offense that is hitting .300 as a team, which ranks second in C-USA.
Stewart, a freshman from Pearland, is batting .399 with 61 hits, 27 runs and 16 stolen bases. Her batting average would rank fourth on UTSA's single-season chart, her 16 steals stand fifth and she needs three hits to move into a tie for 10th place.
Loughman, a West Columbia native who was recently voted Best Freshman in Division I softball by HERO Sports, boasts a .369 batting average, 58 hits, 26 runs and 14 swipes, which rank eighth on the program's single-season list.
Bailee Baldwin has been the most productive bat in league play, as the sophomore from Mansfield is hitting .407 with two doubles, four home runs and 11 RBIs to go along with a .644 slugging percentage in 18 league contests. She is riding a seven-game hitting streak and has left the yard in four of the last five games.
In the circle, Nicole Merrill leads the Roadrunners with a 4.18 earned-run average and 61 strikeouts to go along with a 6-8 record in 26 appearances (19 starts). Lizzy Fox has a team-high 11 wins, 4.37 ERA and 36 Ks in 34 appearances (20 starts).
The Lady Techsters (29-16) lead the West Division and own the second-best winning percentage in the league at .800 with their 12-3 record behind Marshall's .833 (15-3).
Morgan Turkoly leads LA Tech with a .409 batting average and has racked up 10 doubles, two home runs and 30 RBIs. The sophomore outfielder is hitting at a .458 clip in league play. Taria Page is hitting .360 with eight doubles, four long balls and a team-best 38 RBIs.
A four-person pitching staff has combined for a 2.22 ERA (3rd C-USA) and 203 strikeouts.
Krystal De La Cruz totes a team-best 1.49 ERA to go with a 9-0 record and 45 punchouts, while Preslee Gallaway is 12-11 with a 2.55 ERA and a team-high 108 Ks.
UTSA leads the all-time series with Louisiana Tech, 17-4, including a perfect 6-0 mark at home. The Roadrunners have won nine of the last 11 meetings, but the Lady Techsters took two of three games in last year's series in Ruston.
