LAST TIME OUT
 
Last weekend the Patriots had to dodge several rounds of weather in both the Denton and Tyler areas, and would ultimately reschedule both of their doubleheaders against Texas Woman's. They would get one going on Tuesday afternoon in Denton, and they didn't miss a beat as they swept the two games by a combined score of 16-1. The Patriots took a 12-0 win in game one that lasted just five innings, and followed that up with a gritty 4-1 win in game two to pull off the sweep.
 
NATIONAL POLLS
 
The Patriots came in at number three for the second consecutive week in this week's NFCA/Go Rout Top 25. West Texas A&M took over the top spot, and they are followed by Tampa, UT Tyler, Francis Marion, and Central Oklahoma to round out the top five.
 
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 prior to the 2025 season.
• 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 (.838), posting a 957-185 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 37 games. They have allowed more than three runs in a game just twice while scoring at least three runs in all but four games. They rank #1 in Division II in triples, triples per game, hit by pitches, and fielding percentage. They rank inside the top five in WHIP, shutouts, ERA, scoring, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and RBI per game.
• Kaylee Davis leads Division II in ERA at 0.48, and she is 19^th in WHIP at 0.92. JT Smith leads Division II in triples, runs, and runs per game. She is also third in on-base percentage and fifth in batting average.

 
HILLTOPPERS NOTES AND TRENDS

• St. Edward's is 24-18 on the year and 18-14 in LSC play so far. They have won three of their last four matchups, all against St. Mary's.
• Katie Dillon continues to lead the team at the plate, now hitting .415 in 33 games played. She has four doubles, one triple, nine RBI, and 34 runs scored while getting on base at a .476 rate.
• Kylen Badgett holds a 1.81 ERA over 11 appearances and has played to an 8-0 record. She has thrown 54 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .184 average.
• Hailey Post is the head coach of the program and is in her second season at the helm. She was previously an assistant coach at St. Mary's prior to her time with St. Edward's.

 
RATTLERS NOTES AND TRENDS

• St. Mary's is 21-22 on the year and 16-16 in LSC play. They were on the wrong side of that four game series against the Hilltoppers, dropping three of four and each of the last two.
• The Rattlers are led at the plate by Lauren Gonzales, who is hitting .370 over 42 games. She has six RBI and 33 runs scored while getting on base at a .408 clip.
• In the circle, Madeline Bloom is the team's leader, posting a 2.00 ERA in 17 apperances. She has thrown 80.2 innings and has held opposing hitters to a .234 average.
• Ronnie Ladines is the head coach of the Rattlers and is in her first season. She previously served as an assistant for long time head coach Donna Fields.