Lone Star Conference softball teams start league play this weekend, with a full slate of three-game series.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
HITTER
DeeshanaLynn Tafiti, Angelo State University, SR, Second Base, Kalaheo, Hawaii, Waimea HS
Tafiti helped lead the No. 8 Rambelles to a 4-1 weekend at the 2012 Best Western Premier Spring Fling. The senior hit .412 with four home runs and 14 RBIs during the five-game stretch. She currently leads the Lone Star Conference in slugging percentage (.902), runs batted in (27)and home runs (7).
PITCHER
Randi Fentress, Tarleton State University, SO, Pitcher, North Richland Hills, Birdville HS
Fentress was one of the most dominant pitchers at the Texas Woman’s Spring Fling last weekend, pitching in four games for the TexAnns and earning two victories. The sophomore earned a complete game victory in her lone start of the weekend, a run-rule win over Washburn. She took a tough luck loss in against Central Missouri in the 11th inning after being called on in the second inning. Fentress pitched 13 innings of relief and posted an 8-1 strikeout-walk ratio.
OTHER TOP PERFORMERS
Bailey Vrazel, Texas Woman’s University, helped the team to 5-2 record with a team-best .480 batting average, .552 onbase percentage and .640 slugging percentage. She also stole 10 bases and is 28-for-28 on the season. Vrazel showed off her power with two triples and five RBI in a doubleheader sweep of Pittsburg State on Monday. She drove in the winning run in the game-one and game tying run in the second. On the season Vrazel leads the team in batting average (.482), runs (20), onbase percentage (.561) and stolen bases (28).
Rose Stubbs, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, was the Javelinas’ top hitter during the weekend at the Best Western Premier Spring Fling. She went 7-for-15 at the plate with three multi-hit games. She scored a season high three runs in a win over Quincy. She did a great job reaching base at a .556 clip. She had a 10-game errorless streak snapped during the weekend, but still has a .955 fielding percentage for the season.
Arianna Rodriguez, Tarleton State University, was the offensive power that carried the TexAnns to three wins in five days at the Texas Woman’s Spring Fling last weekend. The junior shortstop was 7-19 at the plate (.368) with a pair of doubles and a pair of home runs. She drove in eight RBIs in five games as she helped the TexAnns to wins over UTPB, Fort Hays and Washburn. Rodriguez also recorded a team-high .789 slugging percentage and 15 total bases.
Kimberly Briggs, Abilene Christian University, was one of several offensive leaders for ACU during its 4-1 trip to Denton, Texas for the Best Western Premier Spring Fling. Briggs led all Wildcats with six RBI, and tied for the team lead with a .357 batting average and two doubles. Briggs went 1 for 3 with a run scored in a 8-0 win over Central Missouri ... Broke a 3-3 tie vs. Texas A&M-International with a RBI double in the fifth ... Drove in four RBI on two hits in a 6-0 win over St. Edward’s ... And in a 8-3 loss to Pittsburg State, reached base all three times and stole two bases. Overall, Briggs is hitting .375 this season with 15 RBI through 13 starts.
Caitlyn Crain, Abilene Christian University, baffled the opposition during ACU’s 4-1 stay at the Best Western Premier Spring Fling in Denton, Texas, posting a 0.00 ERA and .222 opposing batting average through three appearances and 17.0 innings pitched. In her first tournament start against Texas-Permian Basin, Crain struck out six in a 9.0 inning complete game and hung on long enough for the win as her teammates broke a 1-1 in the ninth. Crain didn’t allow a run until UTPB’s eighth-inning tiebreaker, but left a runner stranded at third in the ninth thanks to two shallow fly balls. In her follow-up start against St. Edward’s, Crain shut out the Hilltoppers 6-0 on five strikeouts while allowing seven hits. She also stranded 10 St. Edward base runners, including two in the first, second, fourth, and fifth innings. Crain struck out two in an inning of relief in the loss to Pittsburg State, and was charged with a pair of unearned runs. Crain on the season is 5-0 with a 1.62 ERA and 15 strikeouts.
Larisa Garcia, Texas Woman’s University, appeared in six of the seven games and posted a 1-1 record with two saves. She led the team with 18 strikeouts in 20.2 innings pitched. Garcia also pitched two complete-games and held the opponents to .232 batting average. On the season she is 2-3 with three saves and has a team-best 47 strikeouts.
LSC NOTES (Submitted by LSC SID’s)
Abilene Christian The Wildcats had an outstanding run at the Texas Woman’s University-hosted Best Western Premier Spring Fling. ACU won its first four games over Central Missouri, Texas-Permian Basin, Texas A&M-International, and St. Edward’s in stretching its season-long win streak to 12 before losing on the final day, 8-3, to Pittsburg State. ACU pitchers combined for a 4-1 record and collectively posted a 1.85 ERA and .206 opponents’ batting average. Junior Caitlyn Crain went 2-0 through three appearances and recorded a shutout of St. Edward’s. She also led her team with 13 strikeouts and a 0.00. Shelby Hall won her lone start, and Peyton Mosley went 1-1 with 7Ks. On offense, four Wildcats hit .333 or better for the weekend, including Kim Briggs and Lyndi Smith who each hit .357. Briggs also led the Wildcats with six RBI, and stole four bases on five attempts. Megan Brigance hit a home run and drove in five RBI. Keanna Winkfield scored seven runs and stole five bases. ACU begins Lone Star Conference play on the road this weekend at Incarnate Word.
Angelo State The Angelo State softball team continues to fire on all cylinders, going 4-1 at the 2012 Best Western Premier Spring Fling with its only loss coming in extra innings. The Rambelles outscored their opponent 50-26 while hitting eight home runs and 10 doubles. ASU has already jacked 22 home runs this season with seven of those coming from the bat of DeeshanaLynn Tafiti. Angelo State is now 12-3 on the season and will begin LSC play this Friday at home against Cameron.
Cameron 2-3 last week.
Eastern New Mexico 0-2 last week.
Incarnate Word The Cardinals did not play any games during the week. At 7-3 for the season UIW will resume action this week with six games including a Friday-Saturday series at home against Abilene Christian to begin LSC play.
Midwestern State 2-1 last week.
Tarleton State Tarleton won three of its five games in Denton last weekend, after shutting out Fort Hays 8-0 in the tourney opener, run-ruling Washburn and battling Texas-Permian Basin. They dropped an 11-inning, 3-2 affair with Central Missouri and a 3-1 game against St. Edward’s in the tournament finale.
Texas A&M-Kingsville The Javelinas went 2-3 at the Best Western Premier Spring Fling hosted by Texas Woman’s last weekend. Rose Stubbs was the Javelinas’ top hitter during the weekend. She went 7-for-15 at the plate with three multi-hit games. She scored a season high three runs in a win over Quincy. She did a great job reaching base at a .556 clip. She had a 10-game errorless streak snapped during the weekend, but still has a .955 fielding percentage for the season. Senior pitcher Lindsey Brown saw her undefeated season snapped in a loss to Pitt State. She is now 7-2 with a 1.66 ERA for the season. Junior pitcher Denise Arnold picked up her first victory of the year in a 7-3 win over Quincy. She struck out seven batters in the game, a season high. The Javelinas’ doubleheader scheduled against UH-Victoria on Tuesday was cancelled due to the weather.
Texas Woman’s TWU softball played seven games in four days and posted a 5-2 record. Sophomore shortstop Bailey Vrazel led the team on offense with .480 batting average and 10 runs. She also drove in five runs and recorded 10 steals. Freshman Kendra Sancet drove in a team-high 10 runs. Sophomore Katie Hines went 2-0 in the circle while junior Larisa Garcia was 1-1 with two saves. Garcia had a team-high 18 strikeouts. The Pioneers stole 23 bases as a team.
West Texas A&M The Lady Buffs went 3-2 at the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic this past weekend in Orlando, Florida at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. WT split doubleheaders with then #2 North Georgia and then #25 Flagler with a win against St. Leo to improve to 11-3 overall on the season. The Lady Buffs are #2 in the newest NFCA Top 25 Poll released on Tuesday, the highest ranking ever in program history.