Game Info	Opponent Info
#2 UT Tyler vs.  (RV) Angelo State UTT: 13-1, 6-0 LSC | ASU: 10-7, 2-4 LSC Saturday, Feb. 25th | 1 P.M. | 3:30 P.M. San Angelo, Texas | Mayer Field		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
#2 UT Tyler vs.  (RV) Angelo State UTT: 13-1, 6-0 LSC | ASU: 10-7, 2-4 LSC Sunday, Feb. 26th | 1 P.M. San Angelo, Texas | Mayer Field		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS

MAKE IT 10 IN A ROW

UT Tyler extended their win streak to 10 straight and their Lone Star Conference record to 6-0 with a sweep of Cameron in the first home conference series of the 2023 schedule on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Patriots built momentum throughout the afternoon and collected 4-2 and 8-0 wins over Cameron on Tuesday afternoon. That momentum culminated in an 8-0 run-rule of the Aggies in game two that featured sophomore Kaylee Davis' second career no-hitter in the process. Davis retired 16 of the 18 batters she faced, allowing just a pair of walks while striking out two in her 5.0 complete innings of work. The Patriot offense totaled eight runs off 11 hits at the plate, including three RBI off the bats of Courtney Plocheck and Caitlin Wells. Plocheck totaled three RBI in both games on Tuesday, finishing game one 2-for-4 with the go-ahead RBI double in the bottom of the sixth. She continued that great play in Wednesday's 7-1 victory in which the Patriots scored five runs in their first two trips to the plate and never looked back. Plocheck totaled three RBI for a third consecutive game after finishing the afternoon 2-for-3 at the plate. Plocheck finished the series against Cameron 7-for-10 with nine RBI, three doubles and three runs scored to lead the UT Tyler offense.

THAT BATTLE OF PRESEASON NO. 1 AND NO. 2

UT Tyler will head out West this weekend for a meeting with traditional powerhouse Angelo State in San Angelo, Texas. The Patriots and Rambelles were selected no. 1 and no. 2 in the 2023 Lone Star Conference Preseason Softball Poll after UT Tyler claimed their second straight LSC Regular Season Title last spring while the Rambelles finished the year 39-12 and were selected to their 16th South Central Regional Tournament. UT Tyler has been as advertised in the early stages of 2023 with a 13-1 record and their lone loss coming at the hands of then-ranked no. 8 Central Oklahoma. On the otherhand, the Rambelles have not gotten off to the start that the program is accustomed to with a 10-7 overall record and a 2-4 mark in Lone Star Conference. The Rambelles returned reigning Lone Star Conference Player of the Year and NFCA First Team All-American Paxton Scheurer as well as their top two pitching options from 2022 in Genesis Armendariz and Torrey Hogan, but have struggled to find consistenty so far this season. Make no mistake about it, Angelo State still stands as one of the most talented teams in the LSC in 2023, and it will only be a matter of time before they return to the form that earned them a no. 2 ranking in the LSC Preseason Poll.

SCOUTING THE RAMBELLES

Angelo State ranks in the middle of the pack in both batting average (.279) and team ERA (3.13), ranking sixth in the LSC in average and eighth in the league in ERA. The Rambelles went 0-3 against (RV) West Texas A&M in their opening LSC series and 2-1 in their most recent outing against UT Permian Basin. Scheurer and two-time All-LSC First Team selection Ashlyn Lerma will once again headline the lineup for Angelo State, as Lerma leads the team and ranks fourth in the LSC with a batting average of .457 and Scheurer a league-best seven homers. The Patriots hold the all-time series lead between the two powers by a 5-2 margin. Both losses for UT Tyler have come at Mayer Field in San Angelo by a 3-2 final score in both 2022 and 2021.

LOCKED IN AT NO. 2

The University of Texas at Tyler softball team stayed put at no. 2 in the latest 2023 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll as announced by the organization on Tuesday morning. The Patriots received 384 total votes to remain in the no. 2 spot after a 10-1 start to the season (as of Tuesday morning). Rogers State, the defending NCAA Division II National Champions, stayed at no. 1 as the unanimous top choice despite their first loss of the regular season last week to move their overall record to 9-1. The 2023 NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the eight NCAA regions. 
 

Rank	School	Points	2023 Record	Previous Ranking
1	Rogers State (16)	400	9-1	1
2	UT Tyler	384	10-1	2
3	North Georgia	368	10-1	3
4	Tampa	351	5-0	5
5	Seton Hill	303	2-0	7
6	Cal State San Marcos	297	7-2	13
7	Southern Arkansas	282	12-2	16
8	Valdosta State	273	5-2	10
9	Lubbock Christian	271	10-4	8
10	Central Oklahoma	262	8-3	6
11	Adelphi	254	3-1	9
12	Grand Valley State	241	0-0	11
13	Cal State Dominguez Hills	218	8-5	4
14	Indianapolis	199	8-2	14
15	Anderson	190	12-4	12
16	Concordia	140	10-4	17
17	UAH	135	9-3	20
18	Lincoln Memorial	129	14-4	15
19	Oklahoma Christian	125	8-1	22
20	Washburn	77	10-3	21
21	St. Mary's	72	10-4	19
22	Sonoma State	65	10-1	25
23	Lenoir-Rhyne	59	10-1	24
24	Nova Southeastern	40	10-3	RV
25	Wilmington	23	0-0	RV

 
New to Poll: No. 24 Nova Southeastern, No. 25 Wilmington
Dropped Out: No. 18 Kutztown, No. 23 Angelo State
Receiving Votes: Colorado Christian (20), Saint Leo (9), West Texas A&M( (8), Angelo State 1, Auburn Montgomery (1), Augustana (1), Wingate (1).
 
A PEAK AT THE STANDINGS

With the 2023 LSC softball schedule off and running, an always-competitive LSC has looked even stronger in the early stages of 2023. Only UT Tyler has managed to navigate two conference series with an unblemished record, while (RV) West Texas A&M is 3-0 in their only conference series thus far. 10 different teams have produced a league record at .500 or better thus far illustrating what will once again be one the best leagues in Division II softball.
 

SCHOOL	CONF	CPCT.	OVERALL	PCT.	STREAK	HOME	AWAY	NEUTRAL
UT Tyler	6-0	1.000	13-1	.929	W10	6-0	3-0	4-1
West Texas A&M	3-0	1.000	12-0	1.000	W12	5-0	3-0	4-0
Texas Woman's	5-1	.833	9-4	.692	W3	5-0	2-1	2-3
St. Mary's	4-2	.667	13-4	.765	W4	5-4	3-0	5-0
Oklahoma Christian	4-2	.667	9-3	.750	L1	1-2	3-0	5-1
Eastern New Mexico	4-2	.667	12-6	.667	W1	2-1	2-1	8-4
Lubbock Christian	3-3	.500	13-4	.765	W3	10-4	3-0	0-0
St. Edward's	3-3	.500	9-6	.600	W1	3-4	2-1	4-1
Cameron	3-3	.500	6-6	.500	L3	3-0	0-5	3-1
Texas A&M International	3-3	.500	7-10	.412	L3	3-0	0-7	4-3
Angelo State	2-4	.333	10-7	.588	W1	5-3	2-1	3-3
UT Permian Basin	1-5	.167	4-10	.286	L1	1-2	0-3	3-5
Western New Mexico	1-5	.167	3-11	.214	L1	0-3	2-4	1-4
Texas A&M-Kingsville	0-3	.000	3-8	.273	L3	0-3	1-1	2-4
Midwestern State	0-6	.000	1-12	.077	L7	1-5	0-3	0-4

A TRIO OF THREATS

The one-two-three spot in the UT Tyler batting order has been a daunting triple threat of batters for opposing pitchers as of late. JT Smith (.571), Cassidi Mullen (.441) and Courtney Plocheck (.415) rank one-through-three on the club in batting average in 2023, and have teamed up to provide what has been the majority of the UT Tyler offense so far this season. All three Patriots provide multi-faceted offensive games with the ability to hit for power, hit for average, and bunt for base-hits, while also possessing exceptional speed on the base paths. The group has combined for 13 extra-base hits, 25 RBI and 20 stolen bases in the 14 games this season.

DAVIS WAS DEALING

Sophomore Kaylee Davis posted her second career no-hitter on Tuesday afternoon against Cameron, and has registered a 1.79 ERA through four appearances in 2023. It was no secret heading into the year that Tatum Goff would be the ace of the staff for the Patriots, and she has been just that so far with a 1.27 ERA in 49.2 innings of work, but the clear-cut options behind her were truly anybody's to take. What has developed early in 2023 is that it doesn't matter which option head coach Mike Reed and his staff turn to behind Goff in Davis or graduate student Shea O'Leary, a quality outing is almost assured to follow. Both Davis and O'Leary have displayed capable abilities in the circle both as starters, and as relief options. Each has made three starts on the year and have made their impact felt at different times as relief options. Having three high-level arms to turn to will certainly be an asset to coach Reed and his staff as the season continues on.

FAVORITES TO DEFEND THE LSC REGULAR SEASON TITLE

UT Tyler has been tabbed as the preseason favorites in the 2023 Lone Star Conference Softball Preseason Poll. This marks the second season in a row in which UT Tyler has been voted no. 1 in the preseason poll as voted upon by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media representatives after earning 35 of the available 37 first-place votes. UT Tyler garnered 550 total votes and all but two of the available first-place votes to appear as heavy favorites to claim a third straight LSC Regular Season Championship in 2023. Angelo State came in at no. 2 behind the Patriots with 474 votes, while Texas A&M-Kingsville (no. 3), Lubbock Christian (no. 4) and Oklahoma Christian (no. 5) rounded out what will be a Lone Star Conference loaded with talent once again.

GOFF IS THE LSC PRESEASON PITCHER OF THE YEAR

Junior Tatum Goff earned Lone Star Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year accolades as voted upon by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media representatives. Goff will return for her redshirt junior campaign in 2023 after collecting 2022 NFCA First Team and D2CCA Third Team All-American accolades in which she finished the year with a 13-6 record and a 1.99 ERA in 130.1 innings pitched. The Rusk, Texas native struckout 143 batters in 2022, and hit .379 at the plate, matching the team high in homers on the year with 10 in the process. Goff was named to the NFCA and D2CCA First Team All-South Central Region, the All-LSC First Team and as the LSC's Newcomer of the Year.

DOMINANCE IN DIVISION II
 
UT Tyler has produced a record of 110-20 (85.1 percent) since beginning Division II play in 2020 and have now claimed back-to-back Lone Star Conference Regular Season Championships in 2021 and 2022. The Patriots are 65-10 in Lone Star Conference play since beginning play in the league in 2020.

HEAD COACH MIKE REED
 
Coach Reed will enter his 19^th season as head coach of the Patriots, and 22nd season as a head softball coach at the collegiate level in 2022.
 
Reed ranks fifth among all NCAA divisions in career winning percentage (.826), posting an 810-169 career mark through 22 career seasons. He owns the third-highest all-time win percentage among Division III coaches, coaching 18 of his 22 seasons at the Division III level, and is a nine-time American Southwest Conference Coach of the Year and eight-time NFCA Regional Coach of the Year. He has helped develop 33 All-Americans, 91 all-region and 149 all-conference selections and has led the UT Tyler program to the NCAA World Series in eight of the 12 years since the Patriots became postseason eligible in Division III.. He enters 2023 with a record of 707-138 (.835) in his 19 seasons as head coach the Patriots and has seen his staff named the Regional Coaching Staff of the Year by the NFCA on eight different occasions (2009, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022).