SAN ANTONIO — The UTSA softball team is set for a Battle of I-35 showdown, with a nonconference matchup against No. 25 Texas State set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday at Roadrunner Field. Additionally, head UTSA football coach Jeff Traylor will toss out the ceremonial first pitch as part of the festivities.
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, with Neal Raphael providing play-by-play alongside analyst Cat Osterman.
The Roadrunners (12-33, 3-15 The American) suffered a trio of losses at the hands of Charlotte last time out and will be looking to snap a seven-game skid against the Bobcats (33-12, 10-5 Sun Belt).
The squads previously met in the season opener at the Bobcat Invitational, when the 'Runners narrowly fell 2-1. Junior Jaylen Prichard and senior Taylor Jensen each logged hits for UTSA as Jensen plated Prichard with an RBI double for the team's lone run. Classmate Jamie Gilbert performed well in the circle, twirling three hitless frames to keep the Roadrunners in the fight.
Jensen has been stellar behind the plate for UTSA, catching 11 base runners stealing for the 23rd-most in the country. Gilbert remains ranked near the top of the American Athletic Conference leader board in several statistics, including complete games, where 11 leads the league, and she's third with 29 total appearances. Gilbert also sits fourth in innings pitched (114.1), fifth in games started (18), and fifth in strikeouts (84). Additionally, as a team, the Roadrunners have drawn 150 walks, which is the 23rd most in the NCAA.
Meanwhile, Texas State boasts one of the nation's best pitching staffs, with a 1.87 ERA slotting them eighth and 13 shutouts rankings eighth. They maintain a 3.91 strikeout-to-walk ratio that's seventh, and at the plate, 71 doubles place the Bobcats 14th.
Individually, Jessica Mullins has logged 179 innings in the circle, started 27 games, and has 22 victories, all of which lead the NCAA. Her 1.06 ERA ranks fifth; she's 11th in complete games (15), third in shutouts (8), and seventh in strikeouts (163).
At the dish, Sarah Vanderford has recorded 19 two-baggers for the second-most nationally, and Hannah Earls has logged 59 hits for the 17th-most. Earls paces the squad with a .378 AVG, while Vanderford is second with a .339 AVG and is tied with JJ Smith for the team lead with seven home runs.
Keep up with UTSA Softball all season long on goutsa.com, and by following the program on Facebook at /UTSASB, X (Twitter) @UTSASoftball, and on Instagram @utsasoftball.
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