Softball | 2/18/2016 12:55:00 PM

SAN MARCOS, Texas – After going 5-1 on opening weekend at the Bobcat Softball Stadium, the Texas State softball team now hits the road for three weeks starting with the Louisiana Tech Invitational on Feb. 19-21 in Ruston, La. The Bobcats will play in five games, starting with Houston Baptist on Friday at 9:15 a.m.
 
Other games this weekend include a game against Mississippi Valley State on Friday, games against Abilene Christian and Belmont on Saturday and a single game vs. Louisiana Tech Sunday at 12 p.m.
 
The Bobcats played host to Abilene Christian this past weekend and earned a pair of victories over the Wildcats. In the first game of the season, Texas State run ruled Abilene Christian, 13-1, and in the tournament finale, Texas State came back from behind to defeat the Wildcats 4-3 in extras.
 
Against teams in the Louisiana Tech Spring Tournament, head coach Ricci Woodard owns a 12-1 overall record against them. The lone defeat was against Louisiana Tech on April 5, 2013 by a score of 7-6. Texas State came back and defeated the Lady Techsters, 6-1, just over a month later.
 
Bobcat Tidbits
Texas State is coming off of a successful weekend both in the circle and offensively. The Bobcats saw strong contributions from several of its transfer student-athletes, including Paige Williams and Corrina Liscano.
 
Liscano led off her Texas State career with a home run and led the Bobcats with a .438 batting average. She finished the weekend with seven hits, five RBI, and against Abilene Christian in the bottom of the seventh inning down 3-2, Liscano connected for her second home run of the season to tie up the game and send it into extras.
 
Williams put in ample time in the circle for Texas State and earned her first victory of the season against DePaul. She struck out 11 on the weekend in 13.1 innings of work.
 
Sophomore pitcher Randi Rupp started her second season under Woodard on a strong note with a 4-1 overall record in 25.2 innings pitched. Rupp struck out a conference-high 35 batters while walking just seven. Her ERA through 25.2 innings is just 0.55 and against DePaul, she picked up her first save of the season.
 
Kelli Baker started her senior season strong at the CenturyLink Classic with a .364 batting average and a team-high eight hits and six runs scored. Baker successfully stole her first base of the season against Abilene Christian and has now had three multi-hit games this year.
 
A Look At The Competition
Abilene Christian
Abilene Christian comes into the Louisiana Tech Spring Tournament with a 0-5 record after competing in San Marcos at the CenturyLink Classic last weekend. The Bobcats handed the Wildcats two of their losses including an extra innings victory to end the tournament.
 
Taylor Brown leads the Wildcats at the plate with a .412 batting average and a team-high seven hits. She has a double and an RBI this season. Peyton Hedrick and Donelle Johnson have each hit two home runs this season and combine for five RBIs.
 
Bobby Reeves is the head coach of the Wildcats and is currently in his sixth season with the Wildcats.
 
Belmont
Belmont has struggled to start the 2016 season as they enter the weekend with a 0-4 overall record. The Bruins started the season at the Sand Dollar Classic where they were handed losses against Florida A&M, UAB, Southern Mississippi, and Samford.
 
Against Florida A&M and UAB, the Bruins lost by just one run.
 
Offensively, Hayley Baker leads the way with a .667 batting average and a team-high eight hits. She has recorded one triple this season and is a perfect 1-for-1 on the base paths.
 
Ashley Johnson has put in the most time in the circle for the Bruins with 9.2 innings. She has struck out three while allowing 14 hits. Shelby Willard is second on the team with a 3.12 ERA in 8.2 innings pitched. Four Bruins pitchers combine for just 14 strikeouts while allowing their opponents to hit .294.
 
Only Willard has pitched a complete game this season.
 
Chris Kuhlmeyer is the head coach of the Bruins and he is currently in his sixth season at the helm of the Belmont program.
 
Houston Baptist
Houston Baptist, who was also at the Sand Dollar Classic, enters into the weekend with a 3-1 overall record. Victories last weekend for the Huskies were against Jackson State, Samford, and Florida A&M.
 
As a member of the Southland Conference, the Huskies will compete in three tournaments this season before starting conference play against Lamar on March 11.
 
Savana Guidry leads the team offensively with six hits and a .429 batting average. She is backed up by Demi Janak who has driven in a team-high seven RBIs. The Huskies have hit four home runs this season while allowing two.
 
Laci Belovsky owns a 0.98 ERA in 18.1 innings in the circle. She has struck out eight batters and has held her opponents to a .242 batting average.
 
Mary-Ellen Hall is the head coach of the Huskies as she enters into her 25^th season. She is the Huskies all-time winningest coach in any sport with a record of 741-440.
 
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech enters into the weekend with a 3-2 overall record after competing at the San Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala. The Lady Techsters earned victories over Southeast Missouri State, Jackson State, and Lipscomb but fell to Ball State and Sun Belt foe UL Lafayette.
 
The victories against SEMO and Jackson State were run-ruled wins.
 
The Louisiana Tech Spring Tournament is the first of two tournaments this year that the Lady Techsters are hosting. They will remain at home next weekend to host the LA Tech Classic.
 
Offensively, the Lady Techsters are led in batting average by Karlee Jensen and Berkley Calapp. Jensen and Calapp each have four hits in 10 at bats with a combined four RBIs. Anna Cross and Kassie Harris are also offensive threats for Louisiana Tech as they lead the team with six and five hits, respectively. Cross has a team-high nine RBIs.
 
Preslee Gallaway and Bailey Allen have split time in the circle so far this season. In 31.0 combined innings, the two have struck out 25 batters while walking five.
 
Mark Montgomery enters into his third season as the head coach of Louisiana Tech.
 
Mississippi Valley State
After opening the 2016 season at the Southeastern Louisiana Tourney, MVSU is 0-5 overall. The Devilettes scored a combined six runs in the five setbacks last weekend.
 
The Devilettes have five players with at least a .300 batting average including Jordan Brown with a team-high .429 average. Deja Talton leads the team with five hits and two RBIs. Mississippi Valley State has hit just one home run and has a team batting average of .185.
 
In the circle, MVSU is led by Rebekah Clinton who has pitched in 15.0 innings so far this season. She has a 7.20 ERA with four strikeouts.
 
Lee Smith enters his 14^th season as the head coach of the Devilettes. Under his tutelage, 61 MVSU softball student-athletes have been named All-SWAC and 45 have been named NFCA Scholar-Athletes.
 
Final Details
First pitch against Houston Baptist Friday morning is scheduled for 9:15 a.m. Live stats for all games this weekend will be available at www.txstatebobcats.com.