SERIES PREVIEW: Dallas at Southwestern (3/28; DH | 3/29; DH)
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
Livestats (individual game links on schedule)
CollegeTVTicket (Livestream)
FIRST PITCH
The University of Dallas softball team (14-7, 7-2 SCAC) head to Southwestern University (12-10, 8-0 SCAC) on March 28-29 for a pair of doubleheaders. On Saturday, the start times are 1 and 3 p.m., and Sunday's games begin at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Dallas is off to one of its best starts since the 2010 campaign, when the program notched an 18-18 mark. The Lady Crusaders surpassed its win total from last season with their 13th in the second game of four hosting Austin College on Monday.
The Navy and White also are tied with the most conference wins this season since joining the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) four years ago. That amount, seven, was hit in 2014.
LAST SERIES
The softball team took three-of-four in consecutive SCAC series for the first time in school history, and were able to tie a season-long, five game winning streak before a 4-3 setback in the finale.
The remaining scores in the four-game set were respectively 4-1, 7-4, and 8-0.
In the opener, UD got on the board early and used a three-run third to secure the triumph. Sophomore Katie Lee (Houston, Texas) limited the Roos' to a run on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts. She tied and later eclipsed by two the single-season win record in school history with 13.
Fellow classmate Lyda Tesauro (Hollywood, Fla.) had a two-for-three day and a pair of RBI. Senior Taylor Garcia (Pflugerville, Texas) rounded out the multi-hit performers and added a run batted in.
Game two required a late rally in the fifth and sixth innings for the home squad. Garcia blasted a two-run homer and the game-winner on her third RBI; which occurred off a double. Dallas secured the conference series with a six-inning, 8-0 affair on Tuesday. Freshman Madison Goforth set a personal high, five RBI in the route.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sophomore Avery Finch (Jamul, Calif.) continues her career year, leading the Lady Crusaders in several offensive categories. The centerfielder ranks in the top on the squad in batting average at .384, hits with 28, runs scored with 18, and 22 stolen bases. Finch's amount of steals ranks tops in the conference.
Second for the Navy and White is Garcia with a .371 hitting clip, and a team-leading three home runs. Her trio of dingers slot her in tie for first in the SCAC. Garcia has driven in 25 runners to pace the club, and also had totaled a team-most 41 bases. Her 26 hits are second for the Navy and White, and she owns a five-game hitting streak currently.
Tesauro sits tied for second with Goforth in runs scored with 17. The outfielder rounds out a trio of players with at least 20 hits (22), and is hitting .355 to go with a team-leading nine doubles. She's a perfect 13-of-13 on the base paths, and forms a speedy tandem with Finch to lead the conference.
Rounding out the group of Lady Crusaders batting over .300 are freshman Eliah Davila (Abilene, Texas) and junior Erin Begle (Houston, Texas). The duo are boasting .340 and .333 averages, respectively.
Lee has been notching dazzling numbers for UD with a 13-5 record, 131 innings, and 75 punch outs. The right-hander's 1.34 ERA ranks second in the league.
SCOUTING THE PIRATES
Southwestern University has won nine in a row, including a string of the last eight versus SCAC opponents. The most recent quartet in the span came in a sweep against Centenary College at Georgetown, Texas. SU hosted due to poor weather conditions at Centenary's venue that weekend.
The Black and Gold are 8-2 on the home turf this season, and enjoy a stretch of 12-straight at the friendly confines due to the location flip.
Pacing the Pirates offensively is Stacy Rosengren with a .422 average, seven doubles, three homers, and 21 RBI. The defending SCAC Offensive Player-of-the-Week hit .545 with six hits, a double, a long ball, four RBI, and six runs scored against Centenary.
Michele Ramos has chipped in with a .403 average, five doubles, a homer, and 19 RBI. Ashleigh Scott and Caroline Young each have tallied a .303 average and combed for nine doubles. Young has posted four of the team's 10 triples.
In the circle, Cozette Palmer and Alyssa Novander have shared duties, with Palmer hurling 86.1 innings. She has posted an 8-6 record and struck out 32 of SU's 62 overall. Novander in 51.1 innings has allowed 59 hits and reflected a 3.41 ERA.
Dallas is searching for its first victory over the Pirates since joining the SCAC, and have dropped the last 12 dating back to 2010. In the most recent action, the Lady Crusaders fell in two, lone-run affairs (2-1, 4-3) at the conference tournament that led to elimination.
INSIDE SCAC NUMBERS
Southwestern sits second in batting average with a .334 clip, and lead the league in triples, home runs, and runs batted in with 10, eight, and 125, respectively.
Dallas enters the weekend series with a league-best, 1.86 ERA and are the only program with a sub 2.00 mark. The Navy and White run away with 66 stolen bases to lead the conference.
In the walks category, the squads are top two with SU ahead 84 to 62. Texas Lutheran University is also tied with the Lady Crusaders.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Dallas stays on the road for an eight-game trip. The next series rolls through Texas Lutheran on April 3-4. The first double header begins at 5 p.m., and the Saturday twinbill takes off at noon.
SOCIAL MEDIA
UD Twitter: @UDallasSports
Softball Twitter: @UDallasSoftball
Facebook: University of Dallas Athletics