Series Info.	Opponent Info.
#19 UT Tyler vs. St. Mary's UTT: 2-2, 2-2 LSC | StMU: 1-3, 1-3 LSC Friday, Feb. 9th | 4 p.m. (DH) Saturday, Feb. 10th | 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11th | 1 p.m. San Antonio, Texas		SCHEDULE	ROSTER	STATS

LAST TIME OUT
 
Last weekend saw the Patriots take the first two games of the series before Oklahoma Christian fought their way back and took the last two games to force the split.
 
The Patriots looked strong in the pitching department, posting a staff wide ERA of 3.66, the best in the Lone Star Conference by over half a point. Leading that charge was the efforts of game one starter Dylan Blomquist, who went five full innings and scattered three runs on nine hits to pick up the first win of the year. Joining him was Nick Niebur, who threw 4.1 innings and allowed just one hit and no runs while holding opponents to a .071 batting average.
 
WHAT COACH PORCHE IS SAYING
 
On the weekend series: "It's been well documented that we needed to improve on the pitching staff, and we got to do that. We're a little disappointed in the starts we got, but the bullpen really shined."
 
On the slow start from the offense: "I thought we had too many uncompetitive at-bats and gave away too many good pitches to hit. We've got to be better as a coaching staff to recognize that. We've got a bunch of good hitters, we just have to do a better job of taking what the pitcher gives us."
 
On the matchup against St. Mary's: "What's in front of us is just one game on Friday night that we need to play well in. The message is that we have to do a better job of correcting the mistakes we made last weekend. We need to get in the right mindset of winning just one game at a time."
 
NATIONAL ATTENTION
 
At the end of last season, the Patriots finished off the year Receiving Votes in the NCBWA Top 25 poll. This season, they launch themselves into the Top 25 as they are ranked #19 in the preseason edition of the poll. This is the highest ranking for the Patriots since March 11, 2021, in which they were ranked #17.
 
The Patriots were also ranked as the #3 team in the South Central Region poll by the NCBWA, and were picked #2 in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll.

PATRIOTS NOTES AND TRENDS
 

• UT Tyler finished the 2023 season 39-19 overall and 34-14 in LSC play on the way to finishing 3^rd in the LSC and making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the Division II era.
• The Patriots defended Irwin Field in huge way last season, going 22-5 in games at home. Going back to their first season of Division II eligibility (2022), the Patriots are now 39-16 inside Irwin Field.
• Head Coach Brent Porche enters his eighth season with UT Tyler and holds a record of 219-103 with the Patriots. He holds a career record of 366-186 in his 11 total seasons.
• The Patriots will return several key contributors to the 2023 season, including All-Americans Garrett Arredondo and Dylan Blomquist, as well as All-Region nods Lane Hutchinson and Austin Ochoa. LSC Freshman of the Year Kaston Mason makes his return, as well as All-LSC nods Ethan Bedgood and Miles Clack.
• In 2023, UT Tyler posted one of the best offenses in the country, ranking in the top 10 in Division II in batting average, scoring, doubles, total runs, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, doubles per game, and hits.
• All-time against the Rattlers, the Patriots are 7-4, and currently hold a four game win streak after sweeping the season series last year. The record in San Antonio stands at 2-2.

 
RATTLERS NOTES AND TRENDS
 

• The Rattlers have begun the season at 1-3 after facing off with UT Permian Basin in the season opening series. The Falcons pulled off a run-rule win in both nine inning games on Friday and Sunday, while the Rattlers won the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday.
• As a team, St. Mary's hit .316, led by Brendan Concannon and RJ Galvan who lit up the Falcons for averages of .583 and .556. Concannon started all four contests and produced seven hits and scored six runs in just 12 official at-bats.
• The Rattlers staff ERA currently stands at 11.92 after opening weekend, with Carlos Flores Jr. being the only starter to produce a win. In his appearance, he went three innings and allowed just three hits and one unearned run.
• Coaching the program is first year head coach Frank Kellner. Kellner previously spent the last 20 years as an assistant coach at Temple College, where he was a part of 657 total wins.