SAN ANTONIO — The UTSA softball team will conclude its regular season this weekend as they host South Florida for a three-game American Athletic Contest series spanning Friday through Sunday at Roadrunner Field.
Game one between the Roadrunners (14-39, 4-20 The American) and the Bulls (32-20, 11-13 The American) will begin on Friday at 6 p.m. and represents Taylor Swift night, ahead of a Star Wars-themed Senior Day celebration at 1 p.m. Friday’s contest will also feature a postgame autograph session and a limited edition UTSA softball card giveaway. The teams will meet again on Sunday, with a noon first pitch as the squads honor the life and legacy of Hope Ortiz with their annual Strike Out Cancer contest.
Ortiz was a three-year letterwinner for the Roadrunners' back-to-back-to-back Southland Conference Regular Season Championship teams from 2004-06. The right-hander from Odem High posted a 6-1 record with a 3.02 ERA before tragically passing from a battle with leukemia at 23 years old. Those who wish to join UTSA in the fight against cancer may do so by donating to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society here.
The 'Runners last snagged a 10-4 victory in the series finale against a Tulsa team that entered the weekend at No. 50 on the NCAA RPI leader board. UTSA dominated at the dish in the win, with junior Jaylen Prichard going 3-for-3 and scoring thrice, while four different 'Runners recorded RBIs. Junior Sophie Campbell and sophomore Lindsey Davis each plated three, while senior Taylor Jensen and classmate Erykah Guerrero drove in two, including a home run.
On The American leader board, senior Jamie Gilbert has logged the most complete games, going the distance 13 times, and she also ranks second in games started (23), third in innings pitched (137.0), and third in total appearances (35). Additionally, freshman Iliana Saucedo is fourth with 6.8 K/7, while juniors Sophie Campbell and Camryn Robillard are tied for second, each logging a trio of sacrifice flies.
USF, meanwhile, dropped a home series against Florida Atlantic last time out, and they enter the weekend eighth in the conference standings, one spot ahead of UTSA. However, the Bulls maintain the most potent pitching staff in the league, with a 2.65 ERA topping the AAC. They also represent one of The America's best defensive teams with a .975 fielding percentage, sitting 19th in the NCAA.
Individually, Payton Dixon has been stellar in the circle, working a 1.72 ERA across 25 starts and 159.0 innings pitched, all of which lead the conference. She also has worked a 17-7 record that ranks 28th nationally, and 143 strikeouts are 49th. Belle Sardja also features heavily for the Bulls, posting a 12-10 record and working six saves to slot her 10th across the country.
At the plate, six members of the squad boast a batting average of .300, including Alyssa Rayo, Jamie Nelson, and Julia Apostolakos, who are all tied for the team lead at .333. Alanah Rivera paces USF with 28 RBIs, and Marissa Trivelpiece is not far behind with 20.
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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