April 18, 2008

SAN MARCOS - For the second time in three weeks, Texas State softball (29-13, 19-2 SLC) will travel to face their closest competition in the Southland Conference standings as the Bobcats head east to Nacogdoches to face Stephen F. Austin (28-17, 14-6 SLC).

The Bobcats and Ladyjacks will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. before the series finale on Sunday at noon. All three games will be broadcast live via Stretch Internet at txstatebobcats.com. If Texas State sweeps the series, the Bobcats will also clinch the Southland Conference Regular Season title.

Texas State has won eight straight SLC games, including a three game sweep at UTSA when the Roadrunners were in second place. Stephen F. Austin has won five of its last six games to move up to second place in the standings, 4.5 games behind the Bobcats.

Reigning SLC Hitter of the Week Jetta Weinheimer leads the Bobcat bats into the weekend. Weinheimer is hitting .571 in the past 10 games with two home runs and 12 RBIs and has raised her season average to .341. McKenzie Baack and Leah Boatright also help pace the Texas State bats. Baack leads the team with a .453 on-base percentage and six home runs while Boatright is batting .304 with 11 doubles and 20 RBIs.

Ragan Blake and Katie Garnett continue to anchor the pitching staff, combining for 26 wins. Blake has posted a 14-8 record and 2.49 ERA with 141 strikeouts in 143.1 innings while Garnett is 12-4 with a 2.28 ERA. Both pitchers rank among the conference leaders in ERA, while Blake also has the second highest strikeout total in the Southland.

Monika Covington anchors the Ladyjack pitchers as the SLC leader in strikeouts and wins, going 15-8 with 174 strikeouts in 165.1 innings. Lauren Luetge has also had a solid season, going 10-3 with 89 strikeouts and a 2.65 ERA in 89.2 innings.