STEPHENVILLE - Tarleton is heading to the east coast for the weekend as the TexAnns carry their six-game winning streak to the St. Leo Tournament in in St. Leo Florida for the next four games.
After sweeping the field at its home tournament last weekend, Tarleton will open the tournament against Missouri Science & Technology before advancing to play No. 8 Tampa, tournament-host St. Leo and Pittsburg State.
AT A GLANCE
Record: Tarleton TexAnns 6-3 (0-0 LSC) • Missouri S&T 0-0 (0-0 Great Lakes Valley) • Tampa 4-1 (0-0 Sunshine State) • St. Leo 6-5 (0-0 Sunshine State) • Pittsburg State 0-0 (0-0 MIAA)
Live Stats: The live stats link can be found on the Softball Schedule at TarletonSports.com
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Saturday, Game 1: Brenna Hennan, TSU (2-1, 2.51 ERA) vs Taylor Keal, MST (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Saturday, Game 2: Randi Fentress, TSU (4-2, 1.66 ERA) vs. Katlyn Raatz, TAM (0-0, 1.93 ERA)
Sunday, Game 1: Brenna Hennan, TSU (2-1, 2.51 ERA) vs Megan Still, STL (3-1, 1.06 ERA)
Sunday, Game 2: Randi Fentress, TSU (4-2, 1.66 ERA) vs Samantha Grove, PSU (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Last Time Out
The TexAnns won all four of their games in the Tarleton Invitational last weekend, knocking off Texas-Permian Basin and Oklahoma Panhandle State twice.
The TexAnns had five players named to the all-tournament team, including Arianna Rodriguez who was named the Co-MVP of the weekend after hitting .818 (9-11) with two doubles, one home run and 10 RBIs.
All-Tournament Team selections
Tarleton was a force to be reckoned with last weekend, as evident by its five all-tournament selections including Co-MVP Rodriguez.
Brenna Hennan earned all-tournament pitcher status after pitching 12 innings without allowing an earned run. The sophomore pitched a complete game shutout against Oklahoma Panhandle and threw all seven innings against UTPB and earning a win. She struck out 15 batters in 12 innings.
Amber Clifford was named all-tournament first base after hitting .500 with a double and three RBIs. Outfielders Melody Mayse and Rachel Brownlow rounded out the TexAnns' honorees by hitting .571 and .583, respectively, while each hitting one double, two triples and three RBIs.
Where they stand in the LSC
After hitting .243 in the season-opening tournament put the TexAnns in ninth place in the LSC in hitting, Tarleton raised its team batting average to .318 and moved into fifth place in the conference.
Tarleton continues to boast one of the best pitching staffs in the conference. The TexAnn staff - led by the LSC's No. 5 leading ERA pitcher, Randi Fentress - is third in the conference with a team ERA of 2.01 and leads the conference in strikeouts with 52. Fentress and Brenna Hennan are both in the LSC's top five in strikeouts with 26 and 23, respectively.
Arianna Rodriguez is second in the conference in batting (.593) and runs scored (12) and also in the top five in hits (16) and total bases (22). Melody Mayse and Rachel Brownlow are tied atop the LSC in triples (2) while Mayse is also in the top five in stolen bases (5-5).
Series History
The TexAnns have a brief history against all four teams in the tournament, with the most extensive series history coming against Pittsburg State.
Of the Saturday opponents, Tarleton has played both Missouri S&T and Tampa just once before, losing to both opponents in the only meeting. Tarleton fell 3-0 to MST on March 15, 2003 and fell 5-2 to Tampa on Feb. 22, 2008.
Sunday's opponents consist of two foes against whom Tarleton is 4-1 all-time. The TexAnns are 1-1 against St. Leo, including a 7-6 win in their last meeting on Feb. 5, 2009. Tarleton has won all three meetings against Pittsburg State, including a 1998 doubleheader sweep and a one-game, 9-1 win on March 5, 2006.
Queen of Home Runs
Arianna Rodriguez returns for her senior season after her 18-homer junior campaign in which she surpassed Alicia Petersma as the Tarleton all-time home run leader. Rodriguez has 34 career home runs after belting the first of 2013 last weekend.
Players of the Week
Arianna Rodriguez and Brenna Hennan earned Player of the Week honors by the Lone Star Conference after their efforts last weekend. This is the fourth time in Rodriguez's career to earn Hitter of the Week honors and the first time for Hennan.
Up Next for Tarleton
Tarleton will head back to San Antonio for the second time this month to take part in the St. Mary's Round Robin next weekend. They will have back-to-back days in which they will play Lubbock Christian and St. Mary's, respectively.
