SERIES PREVIEW: Dallas at Trinity (3/7; DH) | (3/8; DH)
(Photo Graphic Courtesy of Hannah Miller)
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
THE LEAD
The University of Dallas softball team (3-5) opens Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) action on March 7-8 with a four-game set versus Trinity University. A pair of twinbills are set for each day with game one on Saturday slated at 1 p.m. First pitch for game three of the series on Sunday is at 12 p.m.
After enjoying nearly two weeks off the diamond, UD will be busy with eight games in five days, with four days of doubleheaders through the stretch. Each contest will be on the road, where the Lady Crusaders are 0-2 thus far.
This long span of contests marks a season-long away from the friendly confines, and will be the first of two on the campaign.
MOST RECENT ACTION
Dallas completed its six-game home stand with two setbacks versus Millsaps College. In the series opener, the Navy and White received a strong performance from sophomore Katie Lee (Houston, Texas). Her lone blemish occurred in a three-run fourth inning, which proved to be the difference.
In the second game, UD provided a three-run, three-hit first to jump over the Majors early on. However, the pitching could not contain Millsaps, as the road team knocked eight runs in the top of the second, and eventually would plate 15 runs on 14 hits.
Sophomore Avery Finch (Jamul, Calif.) combined to go 4-for-6 at the plate, with the squad's only multiple hit effort in both affairs.
Lee recorded a season-high five strikeouts in the start of game one, and combined for 11.2 innings overall.
QUICK HITS
Junior Erin Begle (Houston, Texas) leads the Lady Crusaders with a .440 batting average to go with a .560 slugging percentage and .533 on-base percentage. She's second on the team with 11 hits, right behind Finch with 12 as the duo have cracked the double figure mark on the early season.
Sophomore Lyda Tesauro (Hollywood, Fla.) paces the group with nine RBI and five doubles. She also has totaled 13 total bases. Senior Taylor Garcia (Pflugerville, Texas) has been impactful in run production with eight runners batted in.
Six players that have amassed at least 20 at bats are swinging over .300. The group includes freshman Madison Goforth (Tyler, Texas), sophomore Allison Kotlar (Edna, Texas), Begle, Finch, Tesauro, and Garcia.
Finch leads Dallas and the SCAC with nine, and the club is atop the league with 25.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Trinity University (1-3) was picked second in the preseason polls this year, and will also open conference action on Saturday. It is an even busier stretch for the Tigers, as the team hosted a doubleheader on Friday with California College of St. Joseph.
TU opened the campaign with eight in a row at home, and will play a trio of consecutive doubleheaders March 6-8.
Nine starters return to lead a hopeful squad back to the SCAC Championship matchup, where TU has participated in the past four seasons. Last year they fell to Texas Lutheran University at Seguin, Texas.
Emily Fleischman has belted seven hits in 12 at bats with a double and a triple. She's already totaled a double-digit number in total bases with 10. Hilary Hoffman, Lauren Mercado, and Caitlynn Dykes each have three knocks. Dykes leads with three RBI, while Fleischman has driven in a pair.
In the circle, Kaci Wellik has made three appearances, while Katie Glomb earned a victory in a complete game effort for the Tigers' only game to prevail in thus far.
HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCHUP
Since joining the SCAC four seasons ago, Dallas has gone 1-11 in those matchups. Dating back to 2010, UD has gone 3-13 when the programs meet.
In the most recent campaign, the Navy and White claimed its first victory since becoming part of the conference in a 2-1 final. This was the finale of a four-game series in Irving, Texas.
Lee earned the win with a complete game, one-run outing. Kotlar was credited with the team's lone RBI, and was part of a two-run third that would lift UD.
Dallas prevailed at San Antonio, 4-1 and 2-1, back in 2010, and have dropped its last eight at the venue.
ON DECK
Dallas continues its busy trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on March 10 and 11. UD will participate in the South Carolina Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic beginning on Tuesday with SUNY Canton College and Principia College
A doubleheader concludes the classic the next day with Albertus Magnus College and Cazenovia College, respectively.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Softball Twitter: @UDallasSoftball
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