STEPHENVILLE, Texas – After a week of non-con action, Tarleton State returns to conference action Friday-Saturday as the Texans host California Baptist for a three-game clash that has major WAC Tournament seeding implications.
 
While the Texans have secured a spot in the tournament for a while now, the final series vs. CBU will determine where the Purple and White land in the seeding of the tournament. With just one win by Tarleton State over California Baptist and a single win by Grand Canyon over Abilene Christian, the Texans will secure a double bye and the No. 2 seed in the WAC Tournament. It will mark the best finish in the Purple and White's Division I era.
 
In the last 23 games the Texans have outscored their opponents 121-61 averaging over five- runs per game. Across the 23 matchups, Tarleton State has scored five or more runs 11 different times.
 
Through almost 13 complete weeks of play, the Texans have multiple athletes leaving their mark nationally. Austin German is currently tied for the most doubles in the nation with 21 on the season. Her 21 doubles put her just four away from breaking Tarleton State's single-season record. With her 21 doubles through 45 games, she ranks third in doubles per game in the nation and leads the WAC. With all the offensive power from Germain, she is the seventh toughest to strike out in the nation as she strikes out just once every 50.7 plate appearances. Germain sits 30th in the nation in batting average hitting .441 and sits No. 2 in the WAC.
 
Other Texans top in the nation include Kalyn Hill who has caught 18 base runners stealing which puts her seventh in the nation and leads all of the WAC. Hill also sits fourth WAC in batting average hitting .400.
 
On the pitching side of things, Shelby Schultz continues to pound the strike zone as she sits 31st in the nation in strikeouts with 150 thus far and leads the WAC. She also ranks 24th in strikeouts per seven innings at 8.8 and leads WAC. Schultz also sits 17th in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio.
 
In the WAC, the Purple and White continue to hold two of the top-four spots in batting average as Germain leads the Texans ranking second in the conference hitting .441 while Hill sits fourth hitting .400. As a team, Tarleton State is in the top-three of 17 different statistical categories in the WAC. The Texans lead the WAC in team strikeouts per seven innings (6.72) and walks (186). The Purple and White sit No. 2 in the WAC in doubles (74), doubles per game (1.45), home runs (44), home runs per game (0.86), on base percentage (0.377), RBI (238), shutouts (6), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.34), total runs (256), WHIP (1.44) and WL Percentage (0.608).
 
First pitch on Friday is set for 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The series finale is set for an 11 a.m. first pitch Saturday. The series will air live on ESPN+ and live stats will also be available. Tickets for those of Texan Nation looking to support the Purple and White are also available.
 
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