SERIES PREVIEW: Dallas vs. Schreiner University (4/10; DH) | (4/11; DH)
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
(Video will not be available due to wireless difficulties on campus)
FIRST PITCH
The University of Dallas softball team (16-14, 9-9 SCAC) opens a four-game series on April 10-11 versus Schreiner University (5-15, 4-12 SCAC). A doubleheader on Friday starts at 5 p.m. with a twinbill concluding the final home contests the next day at 12 p.m.
Dallas is 8-6 at Crusader Field and have won six of the past eight, which occurred on a season-long, eight-game home stretch. The Navy and White enter the weekend in third place in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), and have posted its best mark since joining the league four years ago.
The weekend four-game set will be the final league contests the Lady Crusaders play this regular campaign.
LAST SERIES
Dallas was swept for the first time this year versus a conference foe, Texas Lutheran University, and have dropped a season-long, four games. UD was unable to get by the unblemished Bulldogs, who took each matchup: 6-2, 10-0, 9-0, and 2-1.
Sophomore Lyda Tesauro (Hollywood, Fla.) rocked a two-run single in the first inning to get the Lady Crusaders' on the board. However, TLU countered with three in its first trip to the plate, and would add a run in the second and two in the fourth to claim the opener.
Games two and three would favor the home squad blanking Dallas through two five-inning decisions.
The finale was another tough battle as the Navy and White took a 1-0 advantage in the fourth inning. Senior Taylor Garcia tallied the RBI to bring in Tesauro, who raced out a two-out triple to spark the rally.
Texas Lutheran tied things in the bottom half, and would gain the one-run edge in the fifth to secure the series sweep.
KEY PLAYERS
Garcia paces the lineup with a .380 batting average, and is tied with sophomore Avery Finch in total hits with 35. Garcia holds a career-high 33 RBI to lead the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) and Dallas in that category. The catcher also is tied for second in the conference with three home runs, and also guides the club with that mark.
Ranking second on the team in hitting is Tesauro with a .353 clip. Her latest triple tied her with freshman Madison Goforth (Tyler, Texas) and junior Erin Begle (Houston, Texas) with a pair a piece. Tesauro sits as the team-leader in doubles with 11, runs scored at 24, and has just eclipsed the 30-mark in base knocks. She is a perfect 20-for-20 in stolen bases, and is second in the SCAC.
Right above her is her teammate Finch, who has swiped 25 overall to top the conference and club. The centerfielder is hitting .347 with 23 runs scored. Rounding out the quartet of hitters over .300 is Begle with a .328 batting average.
Sophomore Katie Lee (Houston, Texas) continues her excellent pace with a program single-season record, 15 wins, and is reflecting a 3.32 ERA. Lee ranks first in the league in strikeouts with 92, innings pitched at 179, and wins. She ended a stretch of 139.2 innings tossed in the most recent outing at Seguin, Texas.
SCOUTING SCHREINER
The Mountaineers have dropped the past two games in a row, after dropping a pair of decisions against Trinity University. The final scores were 12-0 and 14-6. SU did win the latter affair of day one's double dip in 7-3 fashion.
Leading batting averages for the Maroon and White are: Worrell at .349, Garces at .346, Christopher at .344, and Schoenherr at .308. (Players with at least 50 ABs).
Espinoza has made 19 appearances in the circle, 13 of them for starts, and has compiled a 1-15 record, walked 26, and fanned 21 with a 4.31 ERA. Matching the earned run average is Vrana, who has made nine starts in 11 trips to the bump for Schreiner. She is 2-4 with 70 hits surrendered in 50.1 innings. She has walked 25 and punched out 13.
HISTORY
Last year the programs met on the diamond for the first time, as the Mountaineers began their inaugural year in the SCAC. The series was at Schreiner's home field, and the teams split. SU claimed game one of both twinbills (7-2, 9-0), while Dallas prevailed 14-8 and 10-7 on its respective days of victory.
The 14-run victory marked a season-high scoring output for the Navy and White as Tesauro and Garcia combined for four hits and five RBI. Garcia belted a home run and sophomore Allison Kotlar (Edna, Texas) tagged a two-hit game.
SENIOR WEEKEND
On both days, between the contests the University of Dallas softball team will recognize a pair of seniors: Ashley Pickert (Lenexa, Kan.) and Garcia. The duo have been involved in all four years for the program, and have been major contributors this season.
UP NEXT
Dallas takes to the road with four non-conference contests to conclude the regular season. On Apr. 17, the Lady Crusaders go to MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas. The doubleheader begins at 5 p.m.
UD remains in the city for a pair of contests on Sunday, Apr. 19 at Ottawa University. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m.
SOCIAL MEDIA
UD Twitter: @UDallasSports
Softball Twitter: @UDallasSoftball
Facebook: University of Dallas Athletics
