SAN ANTONIO – Looking to earn their second Conference USA series victory in as many tries, the UTSA softball team (6-19, 2-1 C-USA) will travel north on I-35 to take in a three-game set against defending league champion North Texas (16-9, 2-1 C-USA) at Lovelace Stadium. The Mean Green and Roadrunners will meet for the 39th time on Friday to kick off the three-day series. All three contests are slated for broadcast on ESPN+.
About UTSA
The Roadrunners opened the Conference USA slate hot with a 2-1 series victory over UTEP at home, racking up 23 hits and 12 walks to score 20 runs across the first two games. The series finale proved to be a grind-out battle with a seventh-inning UTSA at bat for all the marbles – bases loaded, two outs, full count and a robbed walk-off via an outstanding grab by UTEP at the center field fence to grant the Miners a 4-3 sweep-breaker.
On Tuesday, UTSA traveled to Tarleton and put some reserves into action, absorbing a 4-3 loss in Stephenville, Texas.
UTSA is averaging 4.7 runs per game and recording averages of 7.1 hits and 4.8 walks per outing – batting .259 as a team. It's been a tightly-contest season so far, and a few plays the opposite direction could have the record fully inverted. The Roadrunners have engaged in 12 one-run contests with five more decided by two runs, with 14 razor-close losses in the set.
Working the extra base numbers, UTSA ranks fourth in Conference USA in doubles (33) and home runs (18), while coming in fifth in triples (2). They lead the conference by a significant margin and top the nation in walks drawn at 120. The Roadrunners hold a team on-base percentage of .371.
The most consistent player this season should be no surprise, as Preseason All-Conference USA shortstop Kat Ibarra paces the team with a .360 average after a first-team all-conference nod last year. Ibarra leads UTSA in hits (31), doubles (8), triples (2), walks (15) and shares the team lead for runs (19) – logging 10 RBI from the leadoff spot thanks to a team second-best .455 on-base percentage. In 86 at-bats this year, she's only struck out 11 times. She's currently on a six-game hit streak and previously had reached base in 19 consecutive games (from last season) before her streak ended on Feb. 25 vs. Kansas. In total, she's registered a hit in 20 games this season, including seven for multiple hits.
In addition, Ibarra has also been a roadblock for opponents on defense, leading the Roadrunners with 42 assists (with 48 putouts), seven double plays and has delivered the tag on six caught-stealing plays.
Also a member of the Preseason Conference USA team as a utility, senior Marena Estell has also been an important offensive component for the Roadrunners, batting .333 with a team-leading 17 RBI. Despite missing action in the first five games, Estell has four (4) doubles, two (2) home runs, 19 hits and 10 walks. Her .423 on-base percentage has also put her in position to score nine (9) runs.
One of the biggest contributors through the tournament-heavy stretch, two-time JUCO National Champion transfer Taylor Jensen splits time at catcher and first base, batting .306 with 12 RBI and eight (8) runs, smacking three (3) home runs and two (2) doubles out of her 22 hits – second-largest total on the team. She's also caught 6-of-11 steal attempts against her. Currently on a five-game hitting run, she's got six (6) multi-hit games, notching a hit in 15-of-21 games this season.
Overcoming a slow start in the opening weekend, sophomore third baseman Camryn Robillard has registered hits in 16 of the last 20 games and is on team-best seven-game streak to bat .250 with 12 runs, 10 RBI, four (4) doubles and (2) home runs. Despite the loss, Robillard scored all three runs in the UTEP finale after collecting a hit and two walks.
In the circle, Estell has been an important and experienced asset lately, making six relief appearances and logging a 4.06 ERA through 41.1 innings on the season, holding a 2-4 record. Rookie Reagan Smith is quickly becoming the most utilized pitcher for the Roadrunners, putting in 17 appearances with seven (7) starts, pacing UTSA with a 3-7 record and 3.62 ERA in 56 innings pitched. The strikeout lead goes to junior Jamie Gilbert at 33 in 48 innings, holding a 1-5 record and 5.98 ERA while sharing the most appearances with Smith at 17.
Series vs. North Texas
The Roadrunners trail in the 13-25 series record against the Mean Green, most recently going 1-2 against UNT last season. UTSA is 3-12 vs. UNT in their last 15 matchups and are looking to snap a seven-game skid in Denton. The series dates back to 2005.
Overall, the 2022 Roadrunners finished 18-30 (11-12 C-USA), while the Mean Green were 37-16 (17-7 C-USA), winning the C-USA Championships with a 9-0 run-rule victory over Western Kentucky, going on to reach the NCAA Regional final at Oklahoma State.
UTSA in the rankings
The Roadrunners reclaimed ownership of the national lead for walks drawn, racking up 120 on the year after falling to third falling a rained-out game at the Blues City Classic. UTSA remains in the NCAA's first tier for doubles, ranking 56th nationally on 33 two-baggers and 82nd with 1.32 doubles per game. UTSA also comes in 76th in home runs per game (0.72), 74th in on-base percentage (.371) and 96th in scoring.
Defensively, the Roadrunners list at 47th in the NCAA with 0.40 double plays per game, recording 10 on the year. UTSA's .970 fielding percentage also comes in at 64th nationally and third in C-USA.
At the national level in individual lists, Ibarra ranks 27th in doubles (8) and 92nd in doubles per game (0.32), part of her 55th-ranked 31 hits. Estell's team-high three (3) sacrifice flies sit in a tie for 19th nationally.
New Faces in the Workplace
The Roadrunners have put four newcomers into regular position action from the start of the season, with Jensen joined by grad transfer second baseman Sammy Dees and freshmen Madison Lenton and Lilly Hood as steady starters in the outfield. Hood has started all 25 and Lenton played in 24. In addition, the Roadrunners feature six underclassmen among the 12 most frequent players in the lineup. Likewise, Smith is only a freshman among the pitchers, leading the team in innings with a tie for appearances.
About the North Texas Mean Green
At 16-9 on the year, UNT is on a three-game win streak after sweeping the doubleheader with Texas A&M-Commerce on Tuesday. UNT won the road league series over Louisiana Tech last weekend, closing on a one-run finale. The Mean Green have had a lot of success against strong fields in Atlanta, the Tracy Beard Classic and as host to the North Texas Invitational. The Mean Green have already seen two top 10 opponents in ninth-ranked Texas and sixth-ranked Arkansas.
UNT is averaging 4.7 runs and 7.0 hits on a .269 team average. They lead the conference with 31 home runs on the year on a 22nd-ranked 1.24 HR per game but rank eighth with just 28 doubles. UNT is third among C-USA teams with 113 RBI. The Mean Green have seen some defensive struggles lately, ranking last in the conference with a.953 fielding percentage, thanks to 34 errors through 25 games.
Sophomore left fielder Rylee Nicholson is leading the offensive averages at .340, collecting 10 runs and seven (7) RBI, but it's 2022 All-Conference USA first-team junior first baseman Kailey Gamble with the biggest dent, hitting .328 with a C-USA-high 11 home runs and second-most 26 RBI, scoring 17 runs as well. Sophomore Kalei Christianson is also hitting .333 with 14 RBI and 11 runs.
The pitching staff have been at the core of UNT's early success, recording a staff 2.08 ERA, which ranks second in C-USA and 35th nationally. Senior Ashley Peters and junior McKenzie Wagoner are leading the way with 1.27 and 1.30 ERAs, respectively. Peters has a 5-4 record in 13 appearances (10 starts), holding opponents to a .204 average in 49.2 innings and striking out 40. Wagoner holds a 6-1 record, making eight (8) relief appearances out of 15 and keeping opposing hitters down to .163 batting, while striking out 51 in 54 innings. Sophomore Skylar Savage also goes 3.25 on ERA with a 4-2 record in 13 appearances.
For the Mean Green, Rodney DeLong is 145-61 (.704) in his fifth season at UNT – 290-141-1 (.672) overall.
UTSA Series Coverage at North Texas
Friday, March 17 – 6:00 p.m.
Stream: ESPN+ ($)
Live Stats: UNT
Saturday, March 18 – 1:00 p.m.
Stream: ESPN+ ($)
Live Stats: UNT
Sunday, March 19 - 12:00 p.m.
Stream: ESPN+ ($)
Live Stats: UNT
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