COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball hits the road for its toughest road trip to date this season. The Lions take on two teams are that are ranked top-15 nationally.
LIONS' WEEKEND SCHEDULE
NATIONAL AND CONFERENCE RECOGNITION
For the second time this season,
Alyssa LeBlanc (Katy) was selected as the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday after 18.2 shutout innings with 32 strikeouts last week. She was also named the conference's top pitcher on February 22 and selected as the NFCA Pitcher of the Week that day as well.
Emily Otto (Lamar Consolidated) has also earned an LSC Pitcher of the Year award this season.
Last week,
Sabrina Anguiano (Riverside, Calif.) was named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player of the Week as well as the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week. She batted .909 with three home runs and seven RBIs in four games against Western New Mexico and UT Permian Basin.
LSC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
NFCA NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
NATIONAL RANKINGS
After going 5-1 last week, the Lions dropped a spot in the NFCA rankings to No. 21, while their lone loss came to Embry-Riddle, who is ranked No. 25 in this week's NFCA poll. The Lions have been ranked in all but one poll this season and are one of seven teams from the LSC in the top-25.
A LOOK AT THE LIONS
Winning their last five and 20 of their last 22, the Lions are 26-6 on the season and tied for first in the LSC with a conference record of 11-1 with Friday's opponent, Lubbock Christian and UT Tyler. The Lions lead the country with 105 stolen bases and fifth with 10 shutouts this year.
LeBlanc and Otto are pitching to ERAs under 2.20. Otto has 108 strikeouts on the season and is 12-2 on the season. She recorded 12 strikeouts in the win over Midwestern State last week. LeBlanc has won her last nine starts and has 98 strikeouts, she set the new program record with 17 strikeouts on Friday at Midwestern State.
As a team, the Lions are ninth in the country with 58 doubles, 11
th with 34 home runs, and their team batting average is 25
th. Anguiano is batting .466 with five home runs and 22 RBIs,
MacKenzie Dugi (St. Hedwig – East Central) went 7 for 8 on Sunday at Texas Woman's and has a batting average of .425 this season with seven doubles, four triples, two home runs, and 20 home runs.
Ayanna Williams (Round Rock – Cedar Ridge) has team-leading 35 RBIs. Williams, LeBlanc, and
Uxua Modrego (Burlada, Spain) are tied for the home run lead with six each.
Leo Terry (Emory – Rains) is 21 for 23 in stolen base attempts this season, while
Samantha Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.),
Alina Jasso (San Benito), Dugi, and Williams have double-digit stolen bases this season as well.
WHAT'S AHEAD
The Lions are back home for six games next week, hosting Henderson State on Wednesday, and Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas A&M International during the weekend. After this weekend's games, the Lions have just six games on the road for the rest of the regular season.
SCOUTING THE LADY CHAPS
The Lady Chaps are off to the best start in program history and entered the top-10 in the national rankings for the first time in school history earlier this week. Lubbock Christian is 25-3 overall and 11-1 in conference play just like the Lions.
Lubbock Christian is sixth in the country in home runs and seventh with an average of 8.2 runs per game. Kasey Flores has eight home runs, while Skylar Herrera and Tyla Lee have seven each. Angela Donaldson is batting .479 with 19 RBIs. Lee had 34 RBIs.
Taylor Franco is pitching to an ERA of 1.94 with a record of 13-1 and 73 strikeouts. Maxine Valdez is 7-1 with 77 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.35.
SCOUTING THE RAMBELLES
The Rambelles have won eight of their last nine and are 23-5 on the season and is 8-4 in the conference schedule. Angelo State is hitting .336 as a team and allowing less than three runs per game.
Paxton Scheurer, this week's NFCA Hitter of the Week, leads the country with 16 home runs and 50 RBIs. She is also batting .466 and had seven home runs last weekend. Ashlynn Box has 31 RBIs with a batting average of .418, and Lindsey Evans has 23 RBIs and seven home runs.
In the circle, Genesis Armendariz has an ERA of 1.97 with 78 strikeouts and a record of 12-3, Torrey Hogan is 9-2 with an ERA of 3.28 with 55 strikeouts.
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Lion Athletics Mission: Committed to a "Best in Class" experience for all.
