PREVIEW: Softball vs. No. 2 Texas Lutheran (3/9 - 3/10)

HOW TO FOLLOW

Multimedia Coverage: Livestats (Game 2), (Game 3), (Game 4) | Video

UD Twitter: @UDallasSports

UD Softball Twitter: @UDallasSoftball

UD Facebook: University of Dallas Athletics

UD Softball Facebook: University of Dallas Softball 

UD Instagram: udallasathletics

UD Softball Instagram: udallas_softball 

FIRST PITCH

The University of Dallas softball team opens Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) play on March 9^th-10^th at home versus Texas Lutheran University.

Dallas (1-7) returned to action for the first time in nearly two weeks, and fell by a run in all four road games at a tournament hosted at Huntingdon College. The Crusaders also took on Mount St. Joseph in a pair of neutral site games.

UDCRUSADER HEADLINES

- Caitlyn Stevenson (Henderson, Nev.) has recorded a base hit in every contest this spring, and had eight hits over the previous weekend. A 3-for-5 highlighted the stretch in Sunday's 10-inning matchup with MSJ.

- Fellow freshman Liz Cordova (Oklahoma City, Okla.) is second on the team in hits (9), and has recorded a quartet of two-hit games.

- A trio of players are tied for the lead in runs-batted-in with four apiece. Mel Savala (Bryan, Texas), Stephanie Cervantes (Temecula, Calif.), and Mackenzie Tano (Wylie, Texas) form the group.

- Lauren Galvan (Bryan, Texas) accumulated 18.1 innings with at least 9 thrown in both extra inning games last weekend. Maggie Watts (Arcadia, La.) has posted a 2.62 ERA in 26.2 innings.

BY THE NUMBERS

- UD Season Stats

- Texas Lutheran Season Stats

- The Crusaders are seeking their first win in the all-time series with TLU.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS

- Texas Lutheran holds a 7-1 record overall.

- The team is coming off a 5-1 mark at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, including three wins over top-25 teams. The lone setback on the campaign came to the nation's top-ranked team and defending national champion, Virginia Wesleyan University.

- The Bulldogs have won the regular season title and conference tournament the previous three years, and were picked first in the preseason predicted order of finish.

- Kassie Maddox and Kelly Jurden are atop the team in season hits with 13 and 11, respectively. Maddox has driven in nine.

- Maddox has also led the staff with 22.1 innings, spinning a 1.25 ERA. Maitlin Raycroft has fanned 36 hitters and owns a 4-0 record.

UP NEXT

Dallas plays 16 of the next 20 games with SCAC teams. The next weekend will be the first conference road games with Austin College on Mar. 17^th-18^th.