MONTICELLO, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team will open its 2020 season with five games at the Texas A&M Commerce University and the University of Texas at Tyler Invitational beginning on Friday. The Blossoms will play a pair of games on Friday, two on Saturday and one on Sunday at the tournament.
The Blossoms will first play UT-Tyler and Texas Woman's University on Friday evening, Texas A&M International and No. 10 Texas A&M Commerce on Saturday and conclude with Rogers State University (Okla.) on Sunday. The first two games of the tournament will be played in Tyler, Texas while the final three will be played in Commerce, Texas.
A complete game breakdown along with game times and coverage information is in the table below:
UAM PRIMER
2019 Overall Record: 25-27
2019 GAC Record: 18-26
Streak: Lost Two
Home Record: 11-9
Away Record: 9-17
Neutral Site Record: 5-1
Head Coach:
Kyle Lem | Second Season (25-27)
BLOSSOM NOTES
The Blossoms enter their season opener after being picked sixth in the Great American Conference's Preseason Coaches Poll.
UAM brings back quite a few players from last year's roster including three of their top hitters and one of their two best hurlers.
At the plate, UAM returns
Sierra Gasca,
Haley Godeaux and
Haley Cornell. Gasca was UAM's top hitter batting .328 (43-for-131) with a pair of doubles while leading the team in stolen bases (18) and sacrifice hits (4). Godeaux was second on the roster in batting average hitting .325 (50-for-154). She was also tied for the team lead in home runs (2) and RBI (2) with Cornell. Cornell comes back as well after sporting a .316 average (48-for-152).
In the circle, the Blossoms will look for
Hayley McGhee to be one of their top arms after going 10-12 with 12 complete games a year ago. She was second on the team in ERA at 2.94 (59 ER in 140.1 IP) and led the roster in strikeouts with 116.
Along with some of those key performers from 2019, UAM also returns
Chelsea Anderson,
Paige Eddington,
Kaylee Freeman,
Hannah Hutson,
Faith Johnson,
Mahayla Mitchell,
Katelynn Stamper,
Allyson Stolte,
Caroline Tedder and
Sydney Webster.
As for newcomers, joining the Blossoms this season will be four freshmen and a junior transfer.
Alexis Pevehouse,
Mackenzie Rodgers,
Hannah Holdbrook and
Kara DeBruin join the roster as first-year players, while
Raegyn Parrish is a transfer from Western Oklahoma State College.
UT-TYLER PRIMER
2020 Overall Record: 5-0
Streak: Won Five
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 0-0
Neutral Site Record: 5-0
Head Coach: Mike Reed | 19th Season Overall (703-149) | 16th at UT-Tyler (598-118)
PATRIOTS NOTES
The Patriots are off to a solid start considering its their first year as a member of NCAA Division II. Last week, at the Desert Stinger Tournament, UTT went 5-0 with wins against Oklahoma Baptist, Simon Fraser, Saint Martin's, Colorado Christian and Dominican (Calif.).
Thus far, UT-Tyler has been led by Serena Saldivar who's started in all five games, is hitting .750 (9-for-12) with three home runs, 11 RBI and seven runs scored.
Also driving in runs for the Patriots is Tristin Anders who is tied for the team-lead in RBI with 11.
In the circle, both Payton Foster and Miranda Leal have 2-0 records and clean 0.00 ERA's. They've combined for 10.2 IP and eight punchouts.
TEXAS WOMAN'S PRIMER
2020 Overall Record: 2-3
Streak: Won One
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 0-0
Neutral Site Record: 2-3
Head Coach: Amber Barker | Fourth Season Overall (67-79) | Second Season at TWU (13-32)
PIONEERS NOTES
The Pioneers started their season last week with some very tough opponents at the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational in No. 1 Augustana (S.D.), Pittsburg State, No. 23 Arkansas Tech, Southeastern Oklahoma State and No. 7 Central Oklahoma. Their two wins were against Augustana and Central Oklahoma, knocking off a pair of top-25 opponents.
Through their first five games, the Pioneers are led by Avery Williams, who is sporting the team's only average over .300 at .353 (6-for-17). She also carries a .863 OPS.
Paige Tamayo and Abby Willis are tied for the team-lead in RBI with three apiece.
Bailey Tisdale has been the team's top hurler thus far with a 2.35 ERA (4 ER in 15.1 IP) with a pair of wins on her stat sheet.
TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL PRIMER
2020 Overall Record: 0-5
Streak: Won One
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 0-0
Neutral Site Record: 0-5
Head Coach: Scott Libby | 12th Season (258-362)
DUSTDEVILS NOTES
The Dustdevils also began this season at the Arkansas Tech Invitational with matchups against Henderson State, No. 23 Arkansas Tech, Harding, Pittsburg State and Southeastern Oklahoma, losing in all five contests.
Offensively, Briana Arredondo, Kristy Alanis and Victoria Maldonado are all hitting above .300. Arredondo is batting .364 (4-for-11) with a home run and an RBI, while also posting a 1.182 OPS.
Alanis it hitting .353 (6-for-17) with a pair of doubles and Maldonado is coming in at .333 (4-for-12) with a double while also driving in a run.
In the circle, Denise Longoria has been the top hurler. Despite a pair of losses, she has a 2.74 ERA (3 ER in 7.2 IP).
TEXAS A&M COMMERCE PRIMER
NFCA Preseason Ranking: 10th
2020 Overall Record: 4-1
Streak: Lost One
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 0-0
Neutral Site Record: 4-1
Head Coach: Richie Bruister | 16th Season (532-289)
LIONS NOTES
Texas A&M Commerce enters this weekend as the 10th ranked team in the country according to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's preseason poll.
To start the season, the Lions played at the Arkansas Tech Invitational last week and earned wins against No. 7 Central Oklahoma, Harding, Pittsburg State and Minnesota-Deluth. They fell in a one-run contest against No. 1 Augustana.
Jodie Hill is batting .400 (6-for-15) to lead the team thus far with an RBI, a sac fly, and she is 4-for-5 in stolen base attempts.
In the circle, Emily Otto and Alyssa LeBlanc have impressive numbers to start the year. They've combined for a 0.55 ERA (2 ER in 33.0 IP) with 32 punchouts and just eight walks.
ROGERS STATE PRIMER
2020 Overall Record: 3-1
Streak: Won two
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 0-0
Neutral Site Record: 3-1
Head Coach: Andrea Vaughan | Fifth Season (120-103)
HILLCATS NOTES
The Hillcats were the only opponent of UAM's this upcoming week that did not play at Arkansas Tech last week. They did however play in Gulf Shores, Alabama at the Gulf Shores Invitational.
They opened their season with a win against Palm Beach Atlantic, lost against Delta State and won two straight after that against Nova Southeastern and Spring Hill.
Danelle Day has started in all four games and is hitting .538 (7-for-13) leading the team in RBI with seven. Elexis Watson is behind her in average batting .444 (4-for-9) with a double and three RBI.
Andrew Morales and M'Kayla Hillman have both been solid in the circle. The pair have combined for a 1.25 ERA (5 ER in 28.0 IP) and a 1.00 WHIP.
UP NEXT
The Blossoms will continue their season next Friday at the Alvy Early Memorial Day Classic on February 14th. They'll host Central Missouri, Missouri Southern, Missouri-St. Louis and Missouri Western State starting on Friday.
