Game Info	Opponent Info
Missouri Southern vs. #8 UT Tyler MSSU: 5-0 (0-0 MIAA) | UTT: 4-1 (0-0 LSC) Friday, Feb. 9th | 11 a.m. Bentonville, Ark.		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
Northeastern State vs. #8 UT Tyler NSU: 3-1 (0-0 MIAA) | UTT: 4-1 (0-0 LSC) Friday, Feb. 9th | 1:30 p.m. Bentonville, Ark.		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
Missouri Western State vs. #8 UT Tyler MWSU: 0-0 (0-0 MIAA) | UTT: 4-1 (0-0 LSC) Saturday, Feb. 10th | 11 a.m. Bentonville, Ark.		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
#13 Southern Arkansas vs. #8 UT Tyler SAU: 3-1 (0-0 MIAA) | UTT: 4-1 (0-0 LSC) Saturday, Feb. 10th | 1:30 p.m. Bentonville, Ark.		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS

LAST TIME OUT

UT Tyler wrapped up play over opening weekend across the Division II softball landscape with a 4-1 record. #8 UT Tyler put the last five runs on the board and capped off the 2024 DII First Pitch Invitational with a 6-3 win over Regis on Sunday afternoon. The trio of Courtney Plocheck, JT Smith and Michelle Arias headlined a Patriot offense that totaled 12 hits in the ball game and scored five runs in their final two trips to the plate after falling behind 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning. Starter Genesis Armendariz notched her third complete game of the weekend, picking up her second win of the young season after striking out five and allowing just a single earned run. Stellar efforts in the circle from Genesis Armendariz and Crimson Bryant led #8 UT Tyler to a pair of wins over Colorado Mesa and Washburn on Saturday afternoon. Both arms went the complete game for a Patriots team that moved to 3-1 on the weekend at the 2024 DII First Pitch Invitational. Graduate student Courtney Plocheck went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI in a 10-2 run-rule of Colorado Mesa in game one and then provided the winning run against Washburn with a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead the Patriots to a 1-0 victory. Armendariz and Bryant didn't allow a single earned run in their combined 13.0 innings of work in the circle between the two games. Graduate student Audrey Escamilla went a combined 4-for-4 between the two games, driving in a pair of runs and drawing three walks. The University of Texas at Tyler softball program opened the 2024 season with a split on day one of the 2024 DII First Pitch Invitational in Conroe, Texas. The Patriots fell by a 2-0 final in their season opener against MSU Denver and then responded with a 6-2 victory over #17 Wingate to cap off the day. The UT Tyler pitching staff was solid throughout the afternoon, allowing just a pair of earned runs over 14.0 innings of work, while graduate student Michelle Arias opened her 2024 campaign 4-for-7 at the plate with three RBI.

WHAT COACH REED IS SAYING

On the DII First Pitch Invitational as an event and how his team performed... "What a great event. We said last week that we were going to have some of the best teams from across the country and we felt like it lived up to the best Division II tournament in the country. There was some great softball played. We knew we were going to be challenged and play some quality teams and that was certainly the case. I thought we started out slow in the first game, missed some runners and RBI opportunities, but as we went I thought our offense settled in. We had some different situations, having to come from behind, had a lead, the things you want on opening weekend we definitely got."

On the impressive showing of his pitching staff throughout the weekend... "Very proud of our pitching staff. I thought they threw outstanding the entire weekend. To get those kind of complete game performances this early in the season, we're definitely excited about that. We still have some other pitchers that are going to make some major contributions as well. We've talked about that group and how hard they have worked for their opportunities, so to see their development and confidence grow this weekend was exciting."

On the Alvy Early Memorial Classic this weekend... "We've said that the first stretch of the season is going to be very difficult. From the challenges that we put forth with our non-conference schedule to the first weekend of conference play. We're going to come back and talk about and work on some of the things we need, and that's what playing really does. It shows you where you're strong at and where you need to get better. Our team knows it's going to be a challenge, and that's why we're going. We saw the growth that can come from the challenge last weekend and we're excited for the opportunity this weekend."

PATRIOT NEWS AND NOTES

- UT Tyler will compete in four games at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic this weekend in Bentonville, Ark. Impending weather in the area canceled Sunday's scheduled game against Arkansas-Monticello, leaving a pair of doubleheaders on Friday against (RV) Missouri Southern and Northeastern State and on Saturday against Missouri Western State and #13 Southern Arkansas. 
- The story of the opening weekend for the Patriots was the dominance in the circle from the UT Tyler pitching staff. That staff allowed just three earned runs in 34.0 innings pitched, producing the best staff ERA in the Lone Star Conference and fourth best mark across all of Division II softball on opening weekend at 0.62.
- Graduate student Genesis Armendariz was dominate in the first three starts of her Patriot career, tossing complete game efforts in all three of her starts and allowing just a single earned run in 20.0 innings of effort. Freshman Crimson Bryant announced herself in a big way as well, picking up a pair of wins while going 14.0 innings without conceding an earned run.
- The Patriot offense hit .367 for the weekend at the plate, the fourth best average across the Lone Star Conference, and posted games of 10-plus hits in three out of the four contests in Conroe. Five different Patriots hit north of .400 on the weekend. Audrey Escamilla hit .545 with a homer and three RBI, while Michelle Arias and Courtney Plocheck led the club with five RBI on the weekend. Senior Cassidi Mullen posted the highest batting average, hitting .571 in her four games played.
- UT Tyler begins the 2024 season ranked no. 8 in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Preseason Coaches Poll. The Patriots earned 291 votes to slide in just behind Cal State San Marcos in the eight spot of the national poll. North Georgia, the defending NCAA Division II National Champions, begin the year as the unanimous favorite after earning all 16 first-place votes. The Lone Star Conference (No. 4 WT, No. 8 UT Tyler, No. 16 Oklahoma Christian) and Sunshine State Conference (No. 5 Nova Southeastern, No. 10 Tampa, No. 18 Saint Leo) led the way with three teams in the rankings, including two each in the Top 10.  
- For a third consecutive season, UT Tyler softball was selected as preseason favorites in the Lone Star Conference Softball Preseason Poll as voted upon by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media representatives. The Patriots received 25 first-place votes and 591 total votes to sit ahead of no. 2 ranked West Texas A&M, who garnered 576 points. Oklahoma Christian came in at no. 3 in the preseason poll behind UT Tyler and West Texas A&M with 519 total votes. Lubbock Christian (500) and Cameron (412) rounded out the top five in the no. 4 and no. 5 slots. The complete 2024 LSC Softball Preseason Poll can be found below.
- Graduate student Courtney Plocheck was named the Lone Star Conference Preseason Player of the Year after leading the LSC with a .400 batting average in 2023 and a league-best 86 hits. The Deer Park, Texas native was named to the NFCA All-America Second Team and has been named to the All-LSC First Team list in each of the last two seasons.
- UT Tyler softball is in the midst of the 20th year of the program with an all-time record of 760-144 (.841) dating back to the inaugural 2005 campaign. The Patriots are 165-26 (.865) in four seasons of Division II play and have gone 97-12 (.889) in Lone Star Conference games over that timeframe.
- The Patriots have 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 straight years. 
- UT Tyler has 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.
- Head coach Mike Reed and his staff garnered ATEC/NFCA South Central Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honors for a third consecutive season. The honors come in each of the first three complete seasons at the NCAA Division II level. Coach Reed and his staff have been named regional staff of the year by the NFCA on nine different occasions (2023, 2022, 2021, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2009) dating back to the program's inaugural season in 2005. 
- UT Tyler softball is 337-43 (.886) all-time on their home field at Irwin Field, and completed the 2023 season with a perfect 33-0 mark at their home ballpark. The Patriots are 82-7 (.921) in home Lone Star Conference games and have never lost more than six games at home in a season.
- The Patriots return the majority of the production from their lineup a year ago in 2024, highlighted by the aforementioned LSC Preseason Player of the Year Courtney Plocheck, as well as returning NFCA First Team All-American JT Smith. Smith broke the UT Tyler softball record for stolen bases (46), runs scored (84), walks (52)  and triples (7) in 2023.
- Plocheck, Smith and Arias all return in 2024 after All-Lone Star Conference First Team selections, while Audrey Escamilla and Cassidi Mullen each return to the program this year following All-LSC Second Team campaigns a year ago. Sam Schott rounds out the returning All-LSC selections for the Patriots after her All-LSC Third Team nod. 
- Head coach Mike Reed is in his 20th season at the helm of the program after previously serving for three seasons as the head coach at East Texas Baptist before taking over at UT Tyler. Reed ranks fourth among all NCAA divisions in career winning percentage (.825), posting a 865-175 career mark through 22 career seasons. He owns the second-highest all-time win percentage among Division III coaches, coaching 18 of his 20 seasons at the Division III level, and is a nine-time American Southwest Conference Coach of the Year, and seven-time NFCA Regional Coach of the Year. He has helped develop 36 All-Americans, 103 all-region and 162 all-conference selections and has led the UT Tyler program to the NCAA World Series in nine of the 13 years since the Patriots became postseason eligible in Division III.
- The home of UT Tyler softball has been recognized as a 2023 Netting Professionals/NFCA Field of the Year honoree by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Irwin Field received recognition as the top softball facility across the Division II landscape as one of seven facilities across seven different levels to earn the award. Opened in 2005, Irwin Field is a continuous host of NCAA postseason competition. The facility has hosted two Division III national championship tournaments, along with 10 regional and six super regional rounds. This award, made possible by NFCA Official Sponsor Netting Professionals, recognizes top fields/stadiums in the nation for their flawless grounds maintenance and exceptional playing surfaces. These locations are selected by the NFCA Awards Committee for NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Cal JC, NWAC, and High School. The winners were nominated by NFCA member coaches and selected by a panel of their peers on the NFCA Awards Committee.