LAKE CHARLES, La. – The UT Arlington softball team looks to carry its momentum into a six-game away stretch after a successful 4-1 opening weekend as the Mavs will take on McNeese before competing in nationally-ranked LSU's Purple and Gold Challenge.
The Mavericks will begin with a Thursday night matchup at McNeese before beginning LSU's three-day tournament on Friday, Feb. 14 as UTA will face #18 Virginia Tech at 11 a.m. followed by #7 LSU at 4 p.m. from Tiger Park.
UTA will also face the Wildcats of #21 Northwestern twice over the course of the weekend as the young series history between the two teams sits at just one meeting which was back in Feb. of 1994 in Arlington.
MCNEESE INFO
OPPONENT: McNeese
WHEN: February 13 | 6 PM
WHERE: Lake Charles, LA | Cowgirl Diamond
WATCH + FOLLOW: ESPN+ | Live Stats
LSU TOURNAMENT INFO
OPPONENTS: #7 LSU, #18 Virginia Tech, #21 Northwestern
WHEN: February 14-16
GAME 1: Feb. 14 | #18 Virginia Tech | 11 AM
GAME 2: Feb. 14 | #7 LSU | 4 PM
GAME 3: Feb. 15 | #18 Virginia Tech | 11 AM
GAME 4: Feb. 15 | #21 Northwestern | 1:30 PM
GAME 5: Feb. 16 | #21 Northwestern | 10 AM
WHERE: Baton Rouge, LA | Tiger Park
WATCH + FOLLOW: SEC Network | Live Stats
UTA NOTES
- The UT Arlington softball team looks to continue its momentum as the Mavericks kicked off the 2025 season with a 4-1 start in San Antonio.
- There, UTA picked up wins against Prairie View A&M, Incarnate Word and Eastern Illinois. The Mavs compiled 27 runs off 36 hits with four home runs from Kailee Bautista (1), Elizabeth Baylor (2) and Marley Neises.
- Bautista was named the WAC Player of the Week for the first time this season and in her collegiate career after putting up an impressive .385 batting average, three doubles, eight RBI and 11 total bases across the course of Incarnate Word's tournament.
- Sixth-year pitcher Emilie Hoelscher tossed 10 innings over the weekend with one complete game shutout against Prairie View on Feb. 7. Overall, the lefty threw four strikeouts while limiting opponents to just one run.
- Senior Jessica Adams returns as a dominant force both at the plate and in the circle as the right-handed pitcher led the pitching rotation in 2024 with 114 innings pitched. With a 3.50 ERA, Adams tossed 16 complete games, four shutouts and seven wins.
- Joining Adams in the circle this season are returners Abi Gutierrez, Emilie Hoelscher and Jade Moreno along with newcomers Kynlee Bowlin, Jaycee Knighton and Madi McDonnell.
- Marley Neises, Kaitlyn Sailor and Nicole Hill look to make an impact for the Mavericks after playing important roles both offensively and defensively in Dill's lineup last spring.
- Transfers Dee McClarity (Texas Tech), Mia McNulty (UCLA) and Elizabeth Baylor (New Mexico) will add depth behind Dill's vision, bringing both a winning mindset and postseason experience to this year's roster.
ON DECK
UTA's 6th Boerner Invitational will begin on Thursday, Feb. 20 through Sunday, Feb. 23 from Allan Saxe Field.
The annual tournament will feature Northwestern State, Yale, North Texas, and Incarnate Word. The Boerner Invitational – named in honor of Melissa Boerner, a former UTA softball captain who was killed by a drunk driver the day before her senior year began in 1998 – is to help raise awareness to the importance of responsible drinking.
-- #BuckEm –
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