LAFAYETTE, Louisiana – The UT Arlington softball team (11-11) returns to action with a three-game conference series at Louisiana beginning Friday, Mar. 25 through Sunday, Mar. 27.
UTA was originally scheduled for a midweek game at Northwestern State Wednesday, Mar. 23 at 6 p.m. however, the contest with the Lady Demons was canceled due to wet field conditions from a recent storm in Natchitoches.
OPPONENT: Louisiana (17-8) (4-2, SBC)
WHEN: March 25-27
WHERE: Lafayette, Louisiana | Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park
SERIES HISTORY
Louisiana leads the overall series record of 33-7 with the Mavericks. The most recent series matchup was a season ago where the Ragin' Cajuns picked up the conference series win in Arlington. However, the Mavs took game two of the series in an 8-3 defeat over the ranked team.
UTA NOTES (11-11) (3-3, SBC)
- The Mavericks are on a five-game winning streak as UTA picked up its first conference series sweep over Coastal Carolina last weekend at Allan Saxe Field.
- The Mavericks sit on records of .500 across the board as the team is now 11-11 overall and 3-3 in conference play. UTA took all three games of the series from the Chanticleers after the Mavericks dropped all three games last season in Conway, S.C.
- Senior Meagan Smith had an outstanding performance at the plate last week as she earned Sun Belt Player of the Week. Smith batted .500 with 1 double, 2 home runs, 9 RBI and a .938 slugging percentage. In the Coastal Carolina series alone, Smith knocked a double and 4 RBI.
- The first baseman's bat proved to be key in the Maverick's lineup as she was responsible for putting UTA on top 2-0 with a 2-run home run against the Cowgirls that led to the 3-1 defeat.
- Freshman Aaliyah White continues to pace UTA's offense with a .383 batting average.
- Across all 22 games played, infielders KJ Murphy and Smith share a team-high 15 RBI with 22 hits apiece. Smith, however, leads the Mavericks with 5 home runs on the season.
- Maverick ace, Jessica Adams sits on a record of 7-7 in the circle after picking up three wins against Incarnate Word, Oklahoma State and Coastal Carolina.
- Adams leads the pitching rotation with 89.1 innings pitched, 48 strike outs and 2 saves. Amongst the staff, she also has a low 3.21 ERA.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT – Louisiana (17-8) (4-2, SBC)
- Louisiana sits on an overall record of 17-8 this season with a conference record of 4-2. The Cajuns' two losses in Sun Belt play has come from Georgia State (10-12) and Georgia Southern (1-4).
- The team took a pair of tough losses to No. 25 Texas last Wednesday (Mar. 16) with final scores of 2-10 and 2-3 at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park.
- Playing in 23 of 25 games so far this season, sophomore Jourdyn Campbell holds a .433 batting average and is currently tied with freshman Alexa Langeliers for most home runs (5).
- Langeliers is joined by Stormy Kotzelnick with a team-high 18 RBI on the year as Kotzelnick also leads with 7 doubles, 5 triples and 30 hits.
- In the circle for the Cajuns, junior Kandra Lamb has thrown 49.0 innings and tabbed 73 strike outs.
- Lamb has a record of 5-4 on the mound with the second-best ERA on the pitching staff of 2.43.
ON DECK
The Mavericks will be back at home Wednesday, March 30 as UTA will welcome Sam Houston for a midweek contest. The first pitch is set for 1 p.m.
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