SAN ANTONIO – UTSA Softball’s fourth-year seniors Lindsey Davis and Camryn Robillard have seen just about everything during their time as Roadrunners but, on Tuesday, they experienced something they hadn’t previously accomplished – earning a win against Texas State in the Battle of I-35.
UTSA on Tuesday claimed its 17th victory on the season, its most since the 2022 campaign, and captured its first win against the Bobcats since 2019 with a 6-0 decision at Roadrunner Field. It’s just another step in the Roadrunners’ ascent under second-year head coach Vann Stuedeman.
“Today just felt so good,” Robillard said. “I’ve been waiting for that since I got here and, every time, we’ve come up short. It’s been such a big change. Especially with these freshmen and the young people stepping up. It’s been super cool and I think it’ll trend.”
Stuedeman has known from the start that her squad has the talent and ability to be successful. The missing piece has been UTSA’s ability to battle through adversity to pull out wins.
“We have the pieces, we just have to put them all together,” Stuedeman said. “I think they feel good when it’s going good, I just think we have to figure out how to overcome it when something doesn’t go our way. I think everybody knows that we have the opportunities.”
Taryn Madlock, a sophomore outfielder from nearby Boerne, had a breakout game against Texas State. In the top of the fifth inning, her throw from right field gunned down the lead runner at third base. In the bottom of that frame, she hit her first home run of the season, a three-run shot to put the game out of reach for the Bobcats.
While Madlock has only played in 25 of UTSA’s 43 games this season, her ability to stay ready when her number is called allowed her to rise to the occasion this week.
“I haven’t gotten all of the starts that I’ve wanted this season, but I’ve really taken advantage of my opportunities and that’s all anyone could ask,” Madlock said. “We use the saying ‘inexpensive experience vs. expensive experience.’ So, I’ve really just been getting those inexpensive experiences in the dugout while everyone else is playing on the field. I’ve just been putting my head during practice and going to work.”
Stuedeman has witnessed the growth of Madlock’s game and credits her pupil’s work-ethic.
“She’s a tireless worker,” Stuedeman said. “She’s relentless and she works on her skills all the time. She’s always asking how she can get better physically and mentally. She’s got so many tools in her game that I don’t think she has really even gotten fully confident in yet. You have to give her all the credit because she’s really worked on all parts of her game.”
Freshman Ava Eldridge, a standout on UTSA’s young pitching staff, tossed her first collegiate complete game and notched her fifth win of the season on Tuesday. Eldridge, who missed much of the Roadrunners’ fall season, is starting to find her groove in the circle.
“Ava had a tough fall,” Stuedeman said. “She got a concussion and then she got sick. She missed most of the fall, so I feel like January and February were her fall and now she’s starting to come into her own. She’s really smart, she studies the hitters and she knows how to manipulate her pitches to miss their barrels. She’s really confident and very competitive. It’s fun to see her do well.”
Robillard, who recognizes the abilities of the squad’s young pitchers, believes that the pitching staff has gained confidence over the course of the season that is now paying dividends.
“I’ve been like, ‘Y’all set the tone, just go out there and be confident,’ Robillard said. “When we would scrimmage each other, they were getting us all out constantly. It was hard to hit off them. Then they would get in there and get a little nervous because they’re young. With someone like Ava, she gets in there, sets the tone and it’s easy to come behind her and get a win as a team. I was just so excited for her.”
What has the potential to make UTSA’s team incredibly dangerous during its stretch run to finish the regular season is that the lineup doesn’t have a clear-cut star. On any given day, any player can make the difference. This past Saturday against UAB, it was Davis. On Tuesday, it was Eldridge and Madlock.
“Our one through nine is insane,” Madlock said. “We have the speed, we have the strength and we have the pitching in the circle. It’s just whether it shows up that day. Knowing that one person is hot one day and another person is not, we can pick each other up throughout the lineup. It’s really working for us.”
The Roadrunners head to Charlotte this week for a three-game American Athletic Conference series against the 49ers beginning Thursday. Stuedeman feels that as UTSA progresses towards the end of the season, it will be a hard team to beat.
“We have to draw the right people out of the hat on which one’s the hottest on that day and I think we can scare a lot of people for sure,” she said. “We’ve got good kids and they’re working hard and putting in the effort and belief. They’re doing all the things we’re asking for them to do. It’s fun to see it all pay off for them.”