STEPHENVILLE, Texas – After sweeping Utah Tech on the road last weekend, Tarleton State has bumped up a spot this week as they are ranked No. 24 in D1 Softball's Week 9 Mid-Major Rankings.
The Purple and White are currently riding a six-game win streak while having won nine of their last 11 matchups dating back to the 15-1 (5) win over Prairie View A&M.
With the Texans at No. 24, the WAC has just one other member ranked in the top-25 through nine weeks of play. Grand Canyon sits in the No. 4 spot while Seattle U dropped out after sitting at No. 17 in week eight. Tarleton State is responsible for a combined four conference losses for the Lopes and Redhawks. Seattle U dropped out of the rankings after dropping a Friday night doubleheader with California Baptist before picking up their lone win of the weekend on Saturday to avoid the sweep.
In week seven of the season, the Texans headed west to Phoenix for the first time since 2023 looking to avenge their last trip to the Lopes when they fell in the series 1-2. No. 24/RV GCU came into the three-game series with a perfect conference record of 2-0 after game three of the Lope's series with Utah Valley was cut short due to winter weather. The squad from Phoenix finished the weekend with a conference record of 3-2 and an overall record of 23-6.
Tarleton State handed Grand Canyon bookend losses shutting out the Lopes 3-0 in Game 1 followed by an impressive 5-2 rubber match victory in Game 3 to secure the series. The 3-0 win in Game 1 marks just the second time the Lopes have been shutout this season with the first coming at the hands of then No. 8 Oregon on Feb. 15, 2025, when they were shutout 4-0. Both shutouts this season have come on home turf for the squad from Phoenix.
After securing the series win with the 5-2 victory, the Texans not only earned their first ever conference series over the Lopes but handed GCU their first home series loss since 2022 and their first conference series loss (home or away) since 2023.
With a successful road trip out west complete, Tarleton State returned home to the friendly confines of the Tarleton State Softball Complex. The Purple and White welcomed the Red and Black from Seattle U to town and gave Texan Nation plenty to cheer about. The Redhawks came into the weekend with a perfect 6-0 conference record but the Red and Black didn't leave the Ville with a perfect conference record.
After a combined 18 runs in Game 1 of the series, Seattle U took the opening game of the series moving to 7-0 inside Western Athletic Conference Play. With a Game 1 loss, the Texans had to win two straight to secure their second-straight conference series. Tarleton State did just that handing Seattle U their first two conference losses as the Purple and White took Game 2 4-2 followed by a 10-2 (5) run-rule walk-off in Game 3 to secure series wins over the top-two teams in the conference in back-to-back weeks.
With the top-two teams in the WAC taken down, Tarleton State hit the road once again heading back west for a three-game series with Utah Tech in St. George, Utah. The Texans had no problem handling business as they took down the Trailblazers 3-0, 10-3 and 8-3. This marks the first conference series sweep for the Texans thus far this season.
Tarleton State has faced three other teams in the top-25 bringing their total to six teams played in the top-25. The three other programs include No. 5 North Texas, No. 14 Marist, No. 20 Austin Peay.
Tarleton State Softball is currently 24-15 on the year, second-best overall record in the WAC as of April 9, 2025. The Texans are now 9-6 in the WAC sitting third in the conference, just a half-game back from Seattle U in the No. 2 spot.
The Purple and White have scored 218 runs on 310 hits thus far with 202 RBI and are hitting .303 as a team with three hitters hitting .390 or better. Tarleton State has also hit 36 home runs, 62 doubles and seven triples. The Texans have also drawn 155 base on balls to date.
Tarleton State will continue their homestand as they will return to WAC play on Friday as Utah Valley will come to town for a three-game series Friday-Saturday. The doubleheader on Friday will air live on ESPN+ while Saturday's matchup will air live on WAC International. Live Stats will be available for the entire series. Friday's doubleheader is set for a 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. first pitch with the final game of the series set for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday.
The full Week 8 Mid-Major Rankings by D1 Softball is listed below
- Florida Atlantic
- Liberty
- Nevada
- Grand Canyon*
- North Texas^
- South Florida
- Texas State
- UConn
- San Diego State
- Coastal Carolina
- Belmont
- North Florida
- Eastern Kentucky
- Marist^
- Southern Illinois
- Fresno State
- UNC Greensboro
- Marshall
- Cal State Fullerton
- Austin Peay^
- Georgia Southern
- Idaho State
- Jacksonville State
- Tarleton*
- Samford
WAC Conference Members *
Teams that Tarleton State has faced through nine weeks ^
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