LAST TIME OUT
 
Last weekend saw the Patriots face off with #7 West Texas A&M and Midwestern State, both on the road. The Patriots took a split in Canyon, working their way to a 9-8 win in game one before falling 3-2 in game two. On Sunday, the Patriots bats came alive, outscoring the Mustangs a combined 20-4 over the two games on their way to a sweep.
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
 
Senior Ka'Lyn Watson was named the LSC Hitter of the Week this week after her standout performance over the weekend. She went a combined 8-for-15 for a .533 average. She added a homer, 5 RBI, and 4 runs scored over the weekend while getting on base at a .588 clip and slugging .733.
 
This is the Patriots second weekly award honor this season, following teammate Primrose Aholelei's pitcher of the week award back on February 3^rd.
 
NATIONAL POLLS
 
UT Tyler remained the unanimous #1 in this week's poll, marking five straight weeks they have been in the top spot. The Patriots are followed this week by an unchanged top three, as both Auburn Montgomery and Tampa slide in at two and three. Angelo State and West Texas A&M round out the top five. Oklahoma Christian also represents the LSC, this week coming in at #19.
 
PATRIOTS NOTES AND TRENDS

• UT Tyler softball begins the 21st year of the program with an all-time record of 819-151 (.844) dating back to the inaugural 2005 campaign. The Patriots are 224-33 (.869) in five seasons of Division II play and have gone 134-17 (.887) in Lone Star Conference games over that timeframe.
• The Patriots have won 50-plus games in the last two seasons after going 50-5 back in 2015 and have not registered double-digit losses in a season in 13 straight years. 
• UT Tyler has made 13 appearances in an NCAA National Championship Tournament between the Division II and III levels, and have advanced to the NCAA World Series in 10 of those 13 trips.
• Head coach Mike Reed and his staff garnered ATEC/NFCA South Central Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honors for a fourth consecutive season. The honors come in each of the first four 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 10 different occasions (2024,2023, 2022, 2021, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2009) dating back to the program's inaugural season in 2005. 
• UT Tyler softball is 363-45 (.889) all-time on their home field at Irwin Field prior to the 2025 season, and completed the 2024 season with a 26-2 mark at their home ballpark. The Patriots are 102-8 (.927) in home Lone Star Conference games and have never lost more than six games at home in a season.
• JT Smith, Sam Schott, Taryn Barney, Angelique Rangel, Hailey Fannin, and Kaylee Davis mark a group of returners with national championship experience as they will look to lead a host of newcomers back to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year.
• Head coach Mike Reed returns for his 21^st 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 is 1^st among all NCAA divisions in career winning percentage (.836), posting a 938-184 career mark in 24 career seasons. He owns the second-highest all-time win percentage among Division III coaches, coaching 18 of his 23 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 37 All-Americans, 112 all-region and 177 all-conference selections.
• The Patriots have been nothing short of dominant through their first 21 games. They have allowed more than three runs in a game just once while scoring at least three runs in all but two games. They are ranked top 10 in Division II in shutouts (2^nd), hit by pitches (2^nd), triples (3^rd), sacrifice bunts (4^th), RBI (4^th), slugging percentage (5^th), total runs (5^th), doubles (6^th), on-base percentage (6^th), home runs (7^th), WHIP (9^th), and hits (9^th).
• JT Smith leads the country in triples and runs scored, Primrose Aholelei is fourth in wins, and she is tied with Cera Blanchard for eighth in shutouts.

 
GREYHOUNDS NOTES AND TRENDS

• Eastern New Mexico is 14-8 on the year and 7-5 in LSC play thus far. The Greyhounds snapped a four game losing streak on Sunday as they took down #18 Oklahoma Christian on Sunday.
• The Greyhounds are hitting .321 as a team at the plate and are led by Aylene Lucero who is averaging .472. She has seven doubles, one triple, and five homers on the year with 26 RBI and 29 runs scored. She is also getting on base at a .579 clip and slugging .806.
• In the circle, they have a team ERA of 3.94, led by Miranda Guillen at 3.36. She has thrown 41.2 innings this year while striking out 43 hitters and holding opponents to a .216 average.
• Head coach Amanda Fefel is in her fourth season as head coach and has ammased a record of 84-94. She previously served for two seasons as the Assistant Coach and Pitching Coach at Appalachian State.

 
MUSTANGS NOTES AND TRENDS

• Western New Mexico is 6-15 heading into this weekend and 3-9 in LSC play. They recently swept Cameron, snapping a seven game losing streak in the process.
• The Mustangs are hitting .270 as a program, with Lauryn Carbajal leading the effort at .422. She has three doubles, two triples, and three homers to go with 11 RBI and 11 runs scored on the year while slugging .778 and getting on base at a .480 percentage.
• In the circle, the Mustangs are at a team ERA of 7.79 while Alix De Anda leads them at 6.85 among qualified players. De Anda has thrown 31.2 innings while posting 17 strikeouts and allowing 31 earned runs.
• Head coach Ashley Hickman is in her fourth season with the program and is 31-133 in her time there. In her career she is 116-297, which spans 10 seasons.