It’s another weekend for UT Tyler athletics.

While the basketball teams are on the road, the softball and baseball teams are playing home games.

 

Softball

After six games on the road to open the season, the No. 5 Patriot softball team has their home opener today at UT Tyler Ballpark.

UT Tyler (6-0 overall, 3-0 American Southwest Conference) meets Hardin-Simmons in a three-game set this weekend. Today’s game is set for 4 p.m., with a doubleheader on tap for Saturday. The first game of the DH is slated for 1 p.m.

The Patriots lead the ASC in team batting average, hitting .482. They lead the conference in almost all offensive categories, including runs (74), hits (94), triples (5), doubles (31), home runs (4) and stolen bases with 15.

Sophomore pitcher Kelsie Batten started the season with a 3-0 record and a 0.00 ERA while striking out 16 batters in 16 innings.

The Cowgirls (2-4, 0-3) started conference play with a three-game set against No. 8 East Texas Baptist, losing 10-0, 9-1, 14-5 last weekend.

UT Tyler features six of the top-15 batters in the conference, with Mel Hinojosa leading the way with a .625 average which ranks fourth in the league.

Lauren Robenalt (.571-6th), Whitney Burt (.563-8th), Jackie Mendez (.550-10th), Vanessa Carrizales (.550-10th) and Ashlee Begis (.500-14th) join Hinojosa in the league’s top-15.

Also, Batten was named the American Southwest Conference Pitcher of the Week after helping the Patriots start the season 6-0.

Batten, a sophomore from Huntington, gave up no runs, earned or unearned in 16 innings pitched, holding batters to a 0.75 batting average while racking-up 16 strikeouts.

Last season, Batten was a National Fastpitch Coaches Association second-team All-American in her first year with UT Tyler.

 

Baseball

The Patriots (2-4) open ASC baseball play against Sul Ross State (4-3) this weekend at Irwin Field. On Friday, the teams play at 6 p.m. The first game of the DH on Saturday is scheduled for begin at 1 p.m.

 

Women’s Golf

UT Tyler’s Laura Lindsey has been named the American Southwest Conference Women’s Golfer of the Week. Lindsey took the top spot at the Linda Lowery Invitational, leading UT Tyler to the first-place team finish.

The sophomore shot a combined 156, including a final-round 77 to claim medalist honors at the Falconhead Golf Course in Austin by five strokes.

The Patriots won the tournament by 28 strokes. Sisters Jordan and Taylor Sloane finished second and third, respectively.

Jordan Sloane scored a 161 (83-78), while Taylor had a 165 (85-80). Junior Marina Rhodes finished in a tie for seventh (86-84-170) and Morgan Loth finished with a 174 for a 12th-place finish. Newcomer Hayley McKay was 15th in the medalist competition, shooting 89-89-178.

Schreiner finished in second with a 680, while Southern Arkansas (705) and Centenary (723) were third and fourth.

UT Tyler will now prepare for the much-anticipated Lady Cru Invitational, hosted by Mary Hardin-Baylor, on Monday in Killeen.

 

Men’s Golf

The Patriot men’s team placed fourth in the Linda Lowery Invitational, hosted by Concordia.

Chapman Herwood placed in a tie for fourth with a 151 to lead the Patriots. Herwood’s final day score of 73 was the second-lowest round of the final day.

Buddy Hallman (156) tied for 15th, and Dayton Cargill (157) tied 17th. Other Patriot golfers were Alden Fortner (T34, 164) and Charley Graves (T37, 165).

The Patriots shot a combined 624 for the tournament, finishing 15 strokes behind host Concordia who took the top spot.

Schreiner was second at 615, with Mary Hardin-Baylor (617) third.

UT Tyler will take the course again on Monday, March 3 as they head east to take part in the Mississippi College Spring Invitational in Delhi, La.

 

Tennis

UT Tyler’ Tori Musngi has been named the American Southwest Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Week. Musngi went 2-0 at No. 2 singles and 2-0 at No. 1 doubles for the week.

Musngi, a freshman from Rowlett, had an impressive debut for the Patriots, dropping just one game in two matches played at No. 2 singles.

She also teamed up with Amy Friesenhahn to go 2-0 at No. 1 doubles against East Texas Baptist and Schreiner.