Saturday, March 9
Conway, AR
10:00 a.m.
Stephen F. Austin
vs
University of Louisiana
Lumberjacks Gear Up for Central Arkansas Invite
3/8/2024 5:46:00 PM | Softball
CONWAY, AR- The Stephen F. Austin's Softball Team will play their final tournament this season as they leave Texas for just the second time so far this season when they travel to Arkansas to participate in the Central Arkansas Invite. Over the course of the two-day tournament, SFA will square off with University of Louisiana and hosts University of Central Arkansas.
Stephen F. Austin at a Glance:
The Lumberjacks come into this weekend carrying a 5-16 overall record, however, many who have watched SFA this season know that record may be deceiving and not an accurate representation of how the 'Jacks have truly played this season. Five of the losses this season for SFA have been by one run, while five of the losses have been by two runs. Considering 10 of the 16 losses have been by two or less runs It signifies the fact SFA has played competitively all season long but have just not had luck on their side when it comes to scoring runs, a trend they will look to reverse this weekend in Arkansas.
A Look Back to Tuesday Night:
The Lumberjacks will look to flip the script on the start of the season as they will look to carry over the offense they displayed in their last game against the Lamar University Cardinals. Despite losing 4-3, the Lumberjacks outhit the Cardinals 7-4, and scored three runs thanks to a pair of triples from Lexi Benson (3-3, 2 3B, 2 RBI, R). Benson stuffed the statsheet as she went a perfect 3-3 from the dish on Tuesday night, finishing with a pair of hustle triples, scoring one run, and tacking on two RBI's to her best performance this season. Four other Lumberjacks joined Benson in the hit category as Madison Nguyen (1-4, R), Ellie Vance (1-4, R), Kelby Robbins (1-3), and Mallory Webb (1-3) all recorded base knocks against the Cardinals. Nguyen and Vance both scored on Benson's second triple of the night, while Emily Land (0-3, RBI) drove in Benson after her first triple. Webb finished second on the team with three putouts, while Chloe Reneau pitched in four defensive assists, and Ellie Vance, Arwin Callaway, and Alex Dubose all finished with a pair of putouts apiece.
Land's Leaping Lunge:
Emily Land drew the start behind the plate for SFA and led the team in putouts with five. However, it wasn't the stats that left the biggest impression on SFA fans following Tuesday night's game. With one out and runners on first and second Veronica Harrison tried to lay down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners for Lamar, however, Harrison popped her bunt up in foul territory, and Land flexed her reaction time as she leapt out of her catcher's stance immediately and laid out for a full extension snag in foul territory. A play that was worthy of a spot on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays, and arguably one of the greatest defensive plays you will see from a catcher this entire season.
Lumberjacks Pesky Pitching
SFA's pitching continues to be a nuisance for opposing offenses this season as the rotation of Aydenne Brown, Brooke Gainous, and Alexis Telford have been stellar so far this season. Brown drew the start on Tuesday evening on just two days of rest and threw four innings limiting a Cardinals lineup that featured five batters with an average over .300, inducing 10 flyouts and one groundout, while Kayla Palomino pitched two scoreless innings of relief for SFA, allowing just one runner over those two near-perfect innings. Brooke Gainous has regained her form from last season that saw her earn WAC First-Team honors. Gainous leads the highly talented pitching staff with her sparkling 2.63 era on the season, walking just four batters in 29.1 innings pitched. Aydenne Brown has been just as tough on opposing batters as she sports a 2.79 era this season, striking out 27 hitters in 42.2 innings thrown, and limiting hitters to a paltry .205 batting average. Meanwhile, Alexis Telford has been her usual consistent self in the circle as she holds a 3.45 era on the season, leading the team in both strikeouts (33) and innings pitched (50.2), while tossing four complete games this season.
Don't Blink or You Might Miss Them:
It is no secret the Lumberjacks have plenty of speed in their lineup that makes them a team to be wary of once they are able to get runners on base. So far this season, six different SFA players have recorded at least one stolen base. Kaylee Paul always keeps opposing defenses on alert as she is a perfect 3-3 on stolen base attempts this season, while Ellie Vance has her tied for the team lead with three stolen bags of her own. Madison Nguyen follows closely behind as she is a perfect 2-2 on stolen bases, while both Chloe Reneau and Mallory Webb each have one this season and keep opposing defenses on their toes as from the top of the SFA lineup to the bottom they feature no shortage of speedy base stealers.
Keeping Up with the 'Jacks: Season Stats Edition
Madison Nguyen continues to show why she is the perfect fit for the leadoff spot for SFA, drawing a start in all 21 games, and leading the team with a .304 average this season, totaling 21 total bases, and driving in 21 runners all of which are tops on SFA. Kelby Robbins continues to be a consistent presence on the basepaths for the Lumberjacks as she holds a .300 batting average while drawing four walks on the year. Lexi Benson's power surge against the Cardinals saw her rise to the team lead in both OPS and slugging percentage with an .800 and .442 mark respectively this season, while drawing the most free passes on the team with nine walks on the year. Alex Dubose and Lexi Benson have formed a dynamic dup at first base for SFA as they have combined for 101 putouts this season, while Chloe Reneau and Ellie Vance have formed a duo of their own combining for 53 assists. Brittany Coe, and Madison Nguyen both have 40 putouts this season while maintaining a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage on the campaign.
Stephen F. Austin vs. University of Louisiana
Dates/Times: Saturday March 9th @ 10:00 A.M. CST, & Sunday, March 10th @ 11:00 A.M. CST
Field: Farris Field
Series: ULL Leads 4-0
Ragin' Cajuns at a Glance:
The University of Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns will provide a formidable foe for both SFA and Central Arkansas this weekend, as the Ragin' Cajuns have faced a gauntlet of a schedule this season that has seen them play three top-25 schools. While the Ragin' Cajuns have played competitive games all season long as evidenced by their 10-12 record, their most recent games have perhaps been the most impressive for them. Louisiana has faced the no. 1 and no. 2 ranked teams in the nation this season in Texas and Oklahoma respectively. The Ragin' Cajuns lost a 5-4 nailbiter to the then ranked no. 2 Texas on the Longhorns home field, while most impressively splitting a two-game set with the former no. 1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners. Following an 8-0 loss in game one against the Sooners, the Ragin' Cajuns made history by snapping the Sooners 71-game win streak on their home field and stun the nation in the process.
Maddie Hayden has been an on-base machine for Louisiana this season with a .382/.917/.485 slash line with seven RBIs. However, Sophie Piskos and Victoria Valdez have provided the pop in the Ragin' Cajuns lineup as both have three homeruns this season, and are tied for the team lead in RBIs with 13 apiece. Meanwhile, Alexa Langeliers leads the team with 10 walks on the year, and Mihyia Davis has stolen a team-high five bases this season.
Sam Landry has been the leader of the Ragin' Cajuns rotation as she holds a 2.80 era on the season, throwing the most innings on the team with 60, striking out 49 hitters, and tossing five complete games. Chloe Riassetto has formed a compliment to Landry as she owns a 3.36 era on the season, holds a 4-2 overall record, while striking out 16 hitters in 33.1 innings pitched.
You Look Familiar:
These two schools are no strangers to each other as they will meet for the second straight season on Saturday and Sunday. These two programs met twice last season with the Ragin' Cajuns winning both games on their home field, as SFA looks to claim their first win over the Ragin' Cajuns in program history.
Stephen F. Austin vs. University of Central Arkansas
Dates/Times: Saturday, March 9th @ 3:00 P.M. CST, & Sunday, March 10th @ 4:00 P.M. CST
Field: Farris Field
Live Stream: Sunday, March 10th @ 4:00 p.m. CST on ESPN+
Series: SFA leads 19-10
Sugar Bears at a Glance:
The hosts of the tournament the University of Central Arkansas Sugar Bears will carry a 6-13 overall record into this weekend looking to improve on their 4-5 home record this season. The Sugar Bears have had no slouch of a schedule this season either as they have faced off with Notre Dame, Kansas, Oklahoma twice, and Purdue so far in non-conference play. The Bears will be looking to bounce back from their latest game where they fell to Florida Atlantic in a midweek showdown.
Kylie Griffin leads the team with her .345 batting average, while Gracie St. Hilaire leads the team in OPS and slugging percentage with a .956, and .444 marks this season respectively. Morgan Nelson leads the team with one homerun this season, while taking advantage of hitting with runners on base as she leads the team with 16 RBIs, and has drawn 11 walks this season. Lilly Hood has been equally efficient with runners on base as she has driven in 10 runners of her own, while Tremere Harris leads the team in stolen bases with two on the campaign.
Bailie Runner and Julia Petty have been the leaders of the Sugar Bears rotation this season. Runner leads the team with her 4.83 era, throwing a team-high 58 innings this season, and striking out 24 hitters. Petty has been tough on opposing hitters as she has struck out a team-leading 33 hitters over 46.2 innings. Petty and Runner have combined to throw eight complete games this season while each have three wins so far.
Long Time No See:
The Lumberjacks will meet the Sugar Bears for the first time in three years as these two schools last met in 2021. These two programs met four different times in 2021 with the two schools splitting the four games, however, the Sugar Bears won the game that mattered most as they defeated SFA in a 5-4 nailbiter in the Southland Conference Tournament.
Stephen F. Austin at a Glance:
The Lumberjacks come into this weekend carrying a 5-16 overall record, however, many who have watched SFA this season know that record may be deceiving and not an accurate representation of how the 'Jacks have truly played this season. Five of the losses this season for SFA have been by one run, while five of the losses have been by two runs. Considering 10 of the 16 losses have been by two or less runs It signifies the fact SFA has played competitively all season long but have just not had luck on their side when it comes to scoring runs, a trend they will look to reverse this weekend in Arkansas.
A Look Back to Tuesday Night:
The Lumberjacks will look to flip the script on the start of the season as they will look to carry over the offense they displayed in their last game against the Lamar University Cardinals. Despite losing 4-3, the Lumberjacks outhit the Cardinals 7-4, and scored three runs thanks to a pair of triples from Lexi Benson (3-3, 2 3B, 2 RBI, R). Benson stuffed the statsheet as she went a perfect 3-3 from the dish on Tuesday night, finishing with a pair of hustle triples, scoring one run, and tacking on two RBI's to her best performance this season. Four other Lumberjacks joined Benson in the hit category as Madison Nguyen (1-4, R), Ellie Vance (1-4, R), Kelby Robbins (1-3), and Mallory Webb (1-3) all recorded base knocks against the Cardinals. Nguyen and Vance both scored on Benson's second triple of the night, while Emily Land (0-3, RBI) drove in Benson after her first triple. Webb finished second on the team with three putouts, while Chloe Reneau pitched in four defensive assists, and Ellie Vance, Arwin Callaway, and Alex Dubose all finished with a pair of putouts apiece.
Land's Leaping Lunge:
Emily Land drew the start behind the plate for SFA and led the team in putouts with five. However, it wasn't the stats that left the biggest impression on SFA fans following Tuesday night's game. With one out and runners on first and second Veronica Harrison tried to lay down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners for Lamar, however, Harrison popped her bunt up in foul territory, and Land flexed her reaction time as she leapt out of her catcher's stance immediately and laid out for a full extension snag in foul territory. A play that was worthy of a spot on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays, and arguably one of the greatest defensive plays you will see from a catcher this entire season.
Lumberjacks Pesky Pitching
SFA's pitching continues to be a nuisance for opposing offenses this season as the rotation of Aydenne Brown, Brooke Gainous, and Alexis Telford have been stellar so far this season. Brown drew the start on Tuesday evening on just two days of rest and threw four innings limiting a Cardinals lineup that featured five batters with an average over .300, inducing 10 flyouts and one groundout, while Kayla Palomino pitched two scoreless innings of relief for SFA, allowing just one runner over those two near-perfect innings. Brooke Gainous has regained her form from last season that saw her earn WAC First-Team honors. Gainous leads the highly talented pitching staff with her sparkling 2.63 era on the season, walking just four batters in 29.1 innings pitched. Aydenne Brown has been just as tough on opposing batters as she sports a 2.79 era this season, striking out 27 hitters in 42.2 innings thrown, and limiting hitters to a paltry .205 batting average. Meanwhile, Alexis Telford has been her usual consistent self in the circle as she holds a 3.45 era on the season, leading the team in both strikeouts (33) and innings pitched (50.2), while tossing four complete games this season.
Don't Blink or You Might Miss Them:
It is no secret the Lumberjacks have plenty of speed in their lineup that makes them a team to be wary of once they are able to get runners on base. So far this season, six different SFA players have recorded at least one stolen base. Kaylee Paul always keeps opposing defenses on alert as she is a perfect 3-3 on stolen base attempts this season, while Ellie Vance has her tied for the team lead with three stolen bags of her own. Madison Nguyen follows closely behind as she is a perfect 2-2 on stolen bases, while both Chloe Reneau and Mallory Webb each have one this season and keep opposing defenses on their toes as from the top of the SFA lineup to the bottom they feature no shortage of speedy base stealers.
Keeping Up with the 'Jacks: Season Stats Edition
Madison Nguyen continues to show why she is the perfect fit for the leadoff spot for SFA, drawing a start in all 21 games, and leading the team with a .304 average this season, totaling 21 total bases, and driving in 21 runners all of which are tops on SFA. Kelby Robbins continues to be a consistent presence on the basepaths for the Lumberjacks as she holds a .300 batting average while drawing four walks on the year. Lexi Benson's power surge against the Cardinals saw her rise to the team lead in both OPS and slugging percentage with an .800 and .442 mark respectively this season, while drawing the most free passes on the team with nine walks on the year. Alex Dubose and Lexi Benson have formed a dynamic dup at first base for SFA as they have combined for 101 putouts this season, while Chloe Reneau and Ellie Vance have formed a duo of their own combining for 53 assists. Brittany Coe, and Madison Nguyen both have 40 putouts this season while maintaining a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage on the campaign.
Stephen F. Austin vs. University of Louisiana
Dates/Times: Saturday March 9th @ 10:00 A.M. CST, & Sunday, March 10th @ 11:00 A.M. CST
Field: Farris Field
Series: ULL Leads 4-0
Ragin' Cajuns at a Glance:
The University of Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns will provide a formidable foe for both SFA and Central Arkansas this weekend, as the Ragin' Cajuns have faced a gauntlet of a schedule this season that has seen them play three top-25 schools. While the Ragin' Cajuns have played competitive games all season long as evidenced by their 10-12 record, their most recent games have perhaps been the most impressive for them. Louisiana has faced the no. 1 and no. 2 ranked teams in the nation this season in Texas and Oklahoma respectively. The Ragin' Cajuns lost a 5-4 nailbiter to the then ranked no. 2 Texas on the Longhorns home field, while most impressively splitting a two-game set with the former no. 1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners. Following an 8-0 loss in game one against the Sooners, the Ragin' Cajuns made history by snapping the Sooners 71-game win streak on their home field and stun the nation in the process.
Maddie Hayden has been an on-base machine for Louisiana this season with a .382/.917/.485 slash line with seven RBIs. However, Sophie Piskos and Victoria Valdez have provided the pop in the Ragin' Cajuns lineup as both have three homeruns this season, and are tied for the team lead in RBIs with 13 apiece. Meanwhile, Alexa Langeliers leads the team with 10 walks on the year, and Mihyia Davis has stolen a team-high five bases this season.
Sam Landry has been the leader of the Ragin' Cajuns rotation as she holds a 2.80 era on the season, throwing the most innings on the team with 60, striking out 49 hitters, and tossing five complete games. Chloe Riassetto has formed a compliment to Landry as she owns a 3.36 era on the season, holds a 4-2 overall record, while striking out 16 hitters in 33.1 innings pitched.
You Look Familiar:
These two schools are no strangers to each other as they will meet for the second straight season on Saturday and Sunday. These two programs met twice last season with the Ragin' Cajuns winning both games on their home field, as SFA looks to claim their first win over the Ragin' Cajuns in program history.
Stephen F. Austin vs. University of Central Arkansas
Dates/Times: Saturday, March 9th @ 3:00 P.M. CST, & Sunday, March 10th @ 4:00 P.M. CST
Field: Farris Field
Live Stream: Sunday, March 10th @ 4:00 p.m. CST on ESPN+
Series: SFA leads 19-10
Sugar Bears at a Glance:
The hosts of the tournament the University of Central Arkansas Sugar Bears will carry a 6-13 overall record into this weekend looking to improve on their 4-5 home record this season. The Sugar Bears have had no slouch of a schedule this season either as they have faced off with Notre Dame, Kansas, Oklahoma twice, and Purdue so far in non-conference play. The Bears will be looking to bounce back from their latest game where they fell to Florida Atlantic in a midweek showdown.
Kylie Griffin leads the team with her .345 batting average, while Gracie St. Hilaire leads the team in OPS and slugging percentage with a .956, and .444 marks this season respectively. Morgan Nelson leads the team with one homerun this season, while taking advantage of hitting with runners on base as she leads the team with 16 RBIs, and has drawn 11 walks this season. Lilly Hood has been equally efficient with runners on base as she has driven in 10 runners of her own, while Tremere Harris leads the team in stolen bases with two on the campaign.
Bailie Runner and Julia Petty have been the leaders of the Sugar Bears rotation this season. Runner leads the team with her 4.83 era, throwing a team-high 58 innings this season, and striking out 24 hitters. Petty has been tough on opposing hitters as she has struck out a team-leading 33 hitters over 46.2 innings. Petty and Runner have combined to throw eight complete games this season while each have three wins so far.
Long Time No See:
The Lumberjacks will meet the Sugar Bears for the first time in three years as these two schools last met in 2021. These two programs met four different times in 2021 with the two schools splitting the four games, however, the Sugar Bears won the game that mattered most as they defeated SFA in a 5-4 nailbiter in the Southland Conference Tournament.
Players Mentioned
OF/P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
SS
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
C/IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/3B
/ Softball
OF/IF
/ Softball
P/UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball2.1.24 | Axe 'Em Insider Ep. 24 x Softball
Friday, February 02
Softball - Stephen F. Austin - 02/22/2017: Stephen F. Austin
Wednesday, February 22
Softball - Stephen F. Austin - 02/22/2017: Stephen F. Austin
Wednesday, February 22
SFA Completes Epic Comeback: SFA Softball
Thursday, May 12
