PREVIEW: Dallas at MidAmerica Nazarene (Cancelled) | at Ottawa University (4/19; DH)
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
(At Ottawa University 4/19)
FIRST PITCH
The University of Dallas softball team (20-14) wraps up the regular season with two non-conference contests on the road this weekend. Dallas originally scheduled to play at MidAmerica Nazarene University on April 17, had to cancel the doubleheader due to its opponent moving conference games to the conflicting date.
The Navy and White conclude things before Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Tournament action at Ottawa University (24-15) on Apr. 19 at 12 p.m.
The Lady Crusaders have won four in a row to claim its first four-game series sweep of the season, and are looking to end a skid of four-straight away from Irving, Texas. UD is 4-8 on opponent venues this season, as the team heads to Kansas.
MOST RECENT ACTION
Dallas was able to send seniors Taylor Garcia (Pflugerville, Texas) and Ashley Pickert (Lenexa, Kan.) off with a SCAC sweep versus Schreiner University last weekend. The final scores were: 8-0 (5 inn.), 10-7, 4-3, and 6-4 in respective order.
In the opener, UD tallied runs in every trip to the plate en route to its sixth shutout of the season. After a pair of three-run frames in the nightcap, Schreiner rallied for five in the fourth, but the Lady Crusaders added insurance runs the rest of the way to secure at least a split.
On Senior Day, the home squad took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning, but would relinquish and trail for the first time in the series after allowing one in the sixth. The bottom half favored the Navy and White as UD posted two to claim the four-game set.
Between contests, Garcia and Pickert would be honored for their dedication and hard work all four years with the University of Dallas softball program. In the finale, both programs scored through the first four innings, with UD capitalizing on a three-run second to propel them to a sweep and finish a school-best 12-6 at the friendly confines.
RECORD-BREAKING
It has been a historic season for Dallas already, and the group looks to build on more outstanding marks. The 2015 University of Dallas softball team has tied a single-season record, 20 wins, with the 2009 squad. It is the highest total of wins since the 2010 team went 18-18.
Sophomore Katie Lee (Houston, Texas) broke the single-season record for wins a couple weeks ago with her 14th against Austin College on March 23. Since then, the right-hander has accumulated 19, and most recently broke the career record for UD with her 25th. She also has amassed 205 innings to shatter the highest total by an individual in a season.
Fellow classmate Avery Finch (Jamul, Calif.) broke the single-season record for stolen bases with 29 last Saturday versus Schreiner. Finch swiped two in the first game of the twinbill that day.
Other career records notched this season include Garcia's home run total with 11.
LEADERBOARD
Four players have hit over .300 for the Lady Crusaders entering the final road trip of the season. Garcia boasts the highest average with a .385-clip. Junior Erin Begle (Houston, Texas) and sophomore Lyda Tesauro (Hollywood, Fla.) are right behind at .356 and .354 averages. Finch rounds out the quartet with a .330.
Garcia leads the team with 40 knocks and Finch is right behind at 38. Garcia leads the SCAC and team with a career-high 38 runs batted in. Finch paces the Navy and White and league in steals, and has helped UD boast a team-high 94 steals.
Tesauro completes the top three with 34. The outfielder has smacked a team-high 13 doubles and three triples along with 20 RBI. She is second on the team with 23 steals, and has a perfect percentage on successful swipes.
Begle is coming off a hot series where she compiled for five hits with six RBI. This includes a season-high, four, in the opener versus Schreiner. The shortstop combined for four hits in five at-bats during the first two contests, and her final two knocks were two-baggers.
In the circle, Lee has reflected a 3.29 ERA and leads the conference in wins, innings pitched, and 99 strikeouts.
SOUTING THE BRAVES
Ottawa was blanked 2-0 in its most recent contest on Sunday with Bethany College. It resulted in a two-game split that day, as OU routed its opponent 12-2 through five innings in the first affair. Prior to the blemish, the Braves had won 10-straight with six decided by at least eight runs.
Elisa Valenzuela has led the team with a .442 average, including 10 of her 50 hits counting for doubles. She has belted 10 homers and 42 RBI each for team-bests. Anna Morgan has lifted five round-trippers and is hitting .385 with 40 knocks. Lydia Budke sits second in run production with 29 RBI and a .322 average. Sylvana Kelly has laced 12 doubles for a team-high and is hitting .347.
In the circle, Gabby Markham has gone 10-6 in 17 games with a team-low 3.56 ERA. She's logged 90.1 innings, while Moli Morgan has thrown a team-high 106.2 innings. She is 10-9 with a 3.68 ERA.
Ottawa hosts Friends University on Saturday, Apr. 18 prior to the double dip with the Lady Crusaders. The programs have never met dating to 2010.
The Braves are in the NAIA and apart of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC).
TOURNAMENT OUTLOOK
Dallas is projected to secure the No. 3 seed in the SCAC Tournament held in Kerrville, Texas, on Apr. 24-26. UD would play the No. 6 seed that Friday at 2 p.m. The winner would play the No. 2 seed that night around 6 p.m.
Keep up with updates here on as more tournament information becomes available.
SOCIAL MEDIA
UD Twitter: @UDallasSports
Softball Twitter: @UDallasSoftball
Facebook: University of Dallas Athletics