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Opponent Info |
No. 1 / #3 UT Tyler vs. No. 5 / #8 Grand Valley State
UTT: 60-4, 39-2 LSC | GVSU: 46-6, 20-1 GLIAC
Friday, May 26th | 11 a.m. CST
Chattanooga, Tenn. | Frost Stadium at Warner Park |
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GAME 1
#3 UT Tyler rattled off five unanswered runs in the third and fifth innings to win game one of the 2023 NCAA Division II World Series 5-1 over no. 8 seeded Cal-State Marcos. The no. 1 overall seeded Patriots totaled five extra-base hits and used a complete game from pitcher Tatum Goff to advance to the winner's bracket of the championship. Goff moved to 40-0 on the year with the complete game effort, her 22nd complete game of the 2023 season. A solo homer by sophomore Sam Schott in the bottom of the third kick-started what would be an electric offensive performance from the Patriots from that point forward. The solo shot to leftfield answered a first-inning run from Cal State-San Marcos, and effectively energized the Patriot bats with two outs on the board. Junior Courtney Plocheck followed up the Schott homer with the first of her two doubles on the afternoon, and then scored on an RBI single up the middle from junior Michelle Arias to flip the lead into the hands of the Patriots at 2-1. The Patriot offense struck for three consecutive extra-base hits to start the fifth inning, a leadoff triple from sophomore JT Smith and then back-to-back doubles from the Schott-Plocheck duo. The second double of the afternoon for Plocheck scored both Schott and Smith to make it 4-1, and notched RBI number two and three on the day for the Deer Park, Texas native. Senior Avery Farr capped off the fifth unanswered run of the game for UT Tyler with an RBI single up the middle that scored Plocheck a few batters later. Goff worked around a pair of singles in the sixth and then retired the Cougars in order to close out the seventh inning with the 5-1 victory in-tact for UT Tyler. The Rusk, Texas product scattered seven hits and struckout five to post win no. 40 on the year in the circle. JT Smith, Sam Schott and Courtney Plocheck all totaled two hits and at least one extra-base hit at the top of the order for UT Tyler. The trio scored all five runs in the ballgame for the Patriots as well.
SCOUTING THE LAKERS
Grand Valley State entered the 2023 NCAA Division II World Series ranked no. 8 in the latest NFCA DIvision II Top 25 Coaches Poll and opened their tournament with an impressive 10-2 win over no. 4 seed Wilmington (DE) on Thursday afternoon. The Lakers are 46-6 on the year and completed GLIAC play with a 20-1 league record. Grand Valley State cruised through the NCAA Midwest Region with five straight wins. The Lakers have leaned on pitcher Hannah Beatus as the redshirt senior has thrown every pitch for the Lakers in the NCAA Division II National Tournament and has surrendered just six earned runs in her 43.0 innings of work this postseason. The Lakers hit .343 as a team, and have four players averaging north of .380 at the plate. Grand Valley State has been a power in Division II softball and is making their fourth trip to the NCAA DII World Series since 2016. This will be the first meeting between the two programs.
A SCHOOL RECORD 37 GAME WINNING STREAK
The Patriots enter their second trip to the NCAA DII World Series in each of the first two seasons of postseason eligibility on a 36-game winning streak and extended that mark in the opening game of the championship. UT Tyler hasn't lost since a March 10 road loss to (RV) Nova Southeastern by a 3-1 final. The Patriots swept 13 of their 14 Lone Star Conference three-game series, and navigated their 2023 schedule with a perfect 33-0 mark at home inside Irwin Ballpark. That 37-game winning streak is the longest in the history of the program.
BACK TO BACK SOUTH CENTRAL REGION CHAMPIONS
The UT Tyler softball program punched a return trip to the NCAA Division II World Series with a 2-0 series victory over #9 West Texas A&M in the 2023 NCAA South Central Super Regionals. The Patriots won 6-5 and 6-2 over the Lady Buffs to defeat a tradition-rich West Texas A&M program for the fifth time in 2023. The wins capped off a 5-0 record for the Patriots in the 2023 NCAA Division II National Tournament after defeating St. Edward's (7-4), and #23 Oklahoma Christian (twice, 2-0 and 12-6) in the 2023 NCAA South Central Regional Bracket I
A THIRD STRAIGHT REGULAR SEASON TITLE
UT Tyler finished their third complete season in the Lone Star Conference with a third-straight regular season LSC Championship. The Patriots have finished atop the LSC regular season standings in all three complete seasons competing in the LSC, and have produced a record of 97-12 in conference games in their first four years of Division II status. The 2020 season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Patriots were ineligible for postseason play while completing the mandatory three-year transition period in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
A NEW TROPHY TO THE CASE
UT Tyler claimed the 2023 LSC Postseason Tournament Title on May 6th on the field at Irwin Ballpark following a 4-3 win over #22 Oklahoma Christian. The Patriots defeated St. Edward's (9-4), Cameron (5-0) and Oklahoma Christian (4-3) to win the LSC Postseason Tournament for the first time. Michelle Arias was named the 2023 LSC Tournament MVP while Tatum Goff, Shea O'Leary and Courtney Plocheck joined Arias on the All-Tournament Team.
POSTSEASON PLAY
UT Tyler softball is now 108-44 in postseason play all-time and are 70-28 in NCAA National Tournament play dating back to their inaugural appearance in the 2008 season. The Patriots advanced to the NCAA Division II World Series last spring in the program's inaugural appearance in the national tournament at the NCAA Division II level. UT Tyler advanced to the NCAA DII National Semifinals before losing to evential champions Rogers State. UT Tyler dropped their opening game 5-1 to no. 8 seed Cal State Dominguez Hills, but rebounded with a 12-5 win over no. 4 Southern Indiana and a 4-3 win over no. 3 Auburn-Montgomery. Head coach Mike Reed and his program have made 12 appearances in an NCAA National Championship Tournament between the Division II and III levels, and have advanced to the NCAA World Series in nine of those 12 trips.
NFCA ALL-AMERICAN SELECTIONS
Junior Tatum Goff and sophomore JT Smith were named 2023 NFCA First Team All-Americans and junior Courtney Plocheck a 2023 NFCA Second Team All-American as announced by the organization at the 2023 NCAA DII World Series Championship Banquet. Goff earns a second-straight NFCA First Team All-American accolade while Smith and Plocheck each garner All-American recognition for the first time in their respective careers. Goff and Smith were each named 2023 D2CCA Second Team All-Americans earlier this afternoon as well. UT Tyler was one of two programs to earn three All-American distinctions by the NFCA, joining Mississippi College, but were the only program in Division II softball to place two representatives on the First Team list. The NFCA All-America teams are voted on by the Association's All-America Committees. In Division II, the committee is comprised of one member head coach from each of the NCAA's eight regions. All student-athletes who were nominated by a member head coach and voted to the first- and second-team All-Region squads were eligible for All-America consideration.
D2CAA ALL-AMERICAN SELECTIONS
Junior Tatum Goff and sophomore JT Smith have each been named to the 2023 D2CCA All-American Second Team list as announced by the organization on Wednesday afternoon. Goff has now been named as an All-American in each of her two seasons in a Patriot uniform after an NFCA First Team and D2CCA Third Team nod last season, while Smith collects the first All-American honor of her Division II career. The two distinctions give UT Tyler softball their 34th and 35th All-American accolades in the history of the program dating back to 2005. The D2CCA All-America and All-Region softball teams, which are selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) members from schools playing Division II softball, were first established in 2007. This year represents the eighth year in which the Division II Conference Commissioners Association solely sponsored the program.
ARIAS WINS THE GOLD GLOVE
UT Tyler junior Michelle Arias is one of nine inaugural recipients of the 2023 NCAA Division II Rawlings Gold Glove Award as announced by the NFCA on Thursday afternoon. Recipients of the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, presented by the NFCA, were selected by the NFCA's NCAA Division II All-America Committee, following regional voting to identify the finalists at each position. The group utilized fielding statistics and school-submitted video to closely examine finalists and select the winners at every defensive position. Any student-athlete that competed in the current championship year and was nominated by their head coach who is a member in good standing with the NFCA was eligible for consideration for this prestigious accolade.
NFCA ALL REGION SELECTIONS
The University of Texas at Tyler softball program placed six representatives on the 2023 NFCA Division II South Central All-Region Teams. Those six representatives are the most by any one school across the Division II landscape as Tatum Goff, Courtney Plocheck and JT Smith were named First Team honorees, and Shea O'Leary, Michelle Arias and Audrey Escamilla Second Team honorees. The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's eight regions with first and second-team selections. NFCA member head coaches from each respective region nominated their student-athletes and voted for the teams. All the honorees are now eligible for selection to the 2023 NFCA Division II All-America squads. The 2023 NFCA Division II All-America teams will be announced on Wednesday, May 24 at the NCAA Division II Championship banquet in Chattanooga, Tenn.
D2CCA ALL REGION SELECTIONS
The University of Texas at Tyler softball program placed six on the 2023 D2CCA All-South Central Region Teams and Tatum Goff was named the 2023 D2CCA South Central Region Pitcher of the Year. Goff was joined on the 2023 D2CCA First Team All-South Central Region by Michelle Arias, Courtney Plocheck and JT Smith while Shea O'Leary and Avery Farr were both named to the Second Team All-South Central Region. The six representatives from UT Tyler are the most from any one school across the South Central Region. A total of 28 student-athletes were included in the first (14) and second (14) teams with 17 from the Lone Star Conference and 11 from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Each member of the All-South Central Region first team moves on to be nominated for the D2CCA All-American teams to be released later this month. The D2CCA honors are nominated and voted on by sports information directors from the South Central Region which includes the LSC and RMAC.
ALL LONE STAR CONFERENCE SELECTIONS
UT Tyler collected 14 total All-Lone Star Conference Awards and three Special Awards as announced by Lone Star Conference officials. Head coach Mike Reed was named the Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year for the third straight season, while Tatum Goff was named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Year and Shea O'Leary the Lone Star Conference Newcomer of the Year. Goff and O'Leary were joined on the All-Lone Star Conference First Team list by Courtney Plocheck, JT Smith and Michelle Arias. Audrey Escamilla and Cassidi Mullen were both All-Lone Star Conference Second Team honorees, while Sam Schott and Avery Farr were included in the All-Lone Star Conference Third Team list. Smith was named to the Lone Star Conference Golden Glove team and Goff to the Lone Star Conference All-Academic Team to round out the awards for the Patriots.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
UT Tyler entered the 2023 season at no. 3 in the NFCA DII Top 25 Preseason Coaches Poll and have remained within the national top five all season. The Patriots have remained in the no. 3 spot of the poll for seven straight weeks entering the 2023 NCAA DII World Series.
A PROGRAM RECORD 60 WINS
The 2023 softball team has already secured the most wins in a single season in program history with 60 on the year entering game five of the NCAA DII World Series. The Patriots have now won 50-plus games in two seasons after going 50-5 back in 2015, and have not registered double-digit losses in a season in 12 straights seasons. The program is 754-141 (.841) in 19 seasons of competition dating back to the 2005 campaign.
A PAIR OF INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM RECORDS
Two individual program records have fallen this season as Tatum Goff set the single season strikeout record and JT Smith the record for stolen bases and runs scored in a season. Goff has now struckout 228 batters and counting this season, while Smith's 43 stolen bases and 83 runs scored are a single season program high as well.
NEW TEAM RECORD
The 2023 Patriots broke the all-time single season record in UT Tyler softball history on Thursday with homerun no. 57 on the year. That mark eclipses the previous record set by the 2009 Patriots. 11 different players have homered in 2023, while JT Smith (12) and Michelle Arias (11) have both registered double-digit home run marks.
THREE ON THE PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
#3 UT Tyler placed three representatives on the 2023 Tucci/NFCA DII Player and Pitcher of the Year Watch List. Tatum Goff, Courtney Plocheck and JT Smith have all been included in this year's watch list. The Patriots are the only team from the South Central Region to have placed three players on the list.
DOMINANCE IN DIVISION II
UT Tyler has produced a record of 159-23 (85.1 percent) since beginning Division II play in 2020 and have now claimed back-to-back-to-back Lone Star Conference Regular Season Championships in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Patriots are 97-12 in Lone Star Conference play since beginning play in the league in 2020.
HEAD COACH MIKE REED
Coach Reed will enter his 19th 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 (.837), posting an 859-172 (.833) 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, 103 all-region and 163 all-conference selections and has led the UT Tyler program to the NCAA World Series in nine of the 13 years that the Patriots have been eligible for postseason play. He is 754-141 (.842) 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).
