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Softball By: Daniel Gallegos

Golden Suns start 2024 campaign at D2 First Pitch Invitational

Softball By: Daniel Gallegos

Golden Suns start 2024 campaign at D2 First Pitch Invitational

WEEKEND INFORMATION
ATU New Logo Splash (400)
Texas Woman's
Pittsburg State Logo
Angelo State
ARKANSAS TECH
GOLDEN SUNS
2023 Record: 28-24 (17-15 GAC)		 TEXAS WOMAN'S
PIONEERS
2023 Record: 25-28 (17-25 LSC)		 PITTSBURG STATE
GORILLAS
2023 Record: 27-21 (12-14 MIAA)		 SAINT MARTIN'S
SAINTS
2023 Record: 29-18 (15-9 GNAC)		 ANGELO STATE
RAMBELLES
2023 Record: 29-25 (21-21 LSC)		 #17 WINGATE
BULLDOGS
2023 Record: 48-17 (18-6 SAC)
Friday, February 2 | 4:45 p.m.
Scrap Yard Sports (Field 1) | Conroe, Texas
LIVE STATS
Friday, February 2 | 7 p.m.
Scrap Yard Sports (Field 3) | Conroe, Texas
LIVE STATS
Saturday, February 3 | 4:45 p.m.
Scrap Yard Sports (Stadium) | Conroe, Texas
LIVE STATS
Saturday, February 3 | 7 p.m.
Scrap Yard Sports (Stadium) | Conroe, Texas
LIVE STATS
Sunday, February 4 | 10 a.m.
Scrap Yard Sports (Field 3) | Conroe, Texas
LIVE STATS

FIRST PITCH
For the third-straight year and the fifth time since 2019, the Arkansas Tech softball team will open their season at the Scrap Yard Sports complex in Conroe, Texas.
 
The Golden Suns will be joined in the Houston suburb for the opening weekend of the Division II college softball season by a highly-competitive group of teams including: Angelo State, Pittsburg State, Saint Martin's, Texas Woman's and Wingate.
 
Over the course of the weekend, the Golden Suns will take on Texas Woman's and Pitt State on Friday, Saint Martin's and Angelo State on Saturday and No. 17 Wingate on Sunday.
 
TECH(NICALLY) SPEAKING
The Golden Suns enter the 2024 season with high expectations under second-year head coach Jordon Jones. In her first season, Jones led the Golden Suns to a 28-24 overall record and a 17-15 mark in the Great American Conference.
 
Looking to make a jump, this year's team will feature a bevy of newcomers to go along with a solid group of returners. On paper, the Golden Suns' biggest challenge is replacing the offensive production of last year's senior-laden team as the four top batting averages graduated this past May.
 
Despite that, the Golden Suns do return seven players that appeared in at least 20 games.
 
In the circle, the Golden Suns return just one of their arms from a year ago in Bradi Basler. Last season, Basler made 23 appearances overall and 21 starts. She was 9-10 with a 3.55 ERA and had 75 strikeouts in 110.1 innings of work.
 
Expected to bolster the pitching staff are four new arms in the form of Aiden Dayberry, Alexis Findley, Jaycee McKee and Ella Thornley. Dayberry and Findley are junior college transfers to Tech that will be looked to for a veteran presence in the circle while McKee and Thornley are poised to make an immediate impact as freshmen.
 
SCOUTING TEXAS WOMAN'S
Texas Woman's ended the 2023 season with a 25-28 overall record and were 17-25 in the stout Lone Star Conference (LSC). This season, the Pioneers are picked to finish 10th in the 15-team LSC, but that prediction may improve when it is all said and done as TWU has the conference's preseason pitcher of the year in Alyssa LeBlanc.
 
Returning for her senior season, LeBlanc appeared in 31 games and made 22 starts. She would go 18-12 overall with a save and five shutouts and struck out 294 batters in 184.2 innings while posting a 2.19 ERA.
 
A standout two-way player, LeBlanc is also the top returning hitter for the Pioneers. Last season, the first team all-conference, all-region and all-american led the team in every important offensive category with a .392 batting average (58-for-148), 37 runs scored, 14 doubles, 18 home runs and 46 RBIs.
 
The Pioneers are led by Gay McNutt, who in her second season as head coach at TWU and her 25th overall. With previous head coaching stints at Northwestern State, Southern Mississippi, Stephen F. Austin and Texas A&M-Commerce, McNutt has a career record of 653-694.
 
SCOUTING PITTSBURG STATE
Last season, Pittsburg State went 27-21 overall and were 12-14 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the regular season. Ahead of this season, Pitt State is picked to finish seventh in the MIAA according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
 
The Gorillas have a good amount of experience returning both in their lineup and in the circle. Offensively, the Gorillas have four players returning who had at least 100 at-bats last season. Heather Arnett had the highest batting average among returners at .376 (62-for-165). Paxtyn Hayes is the top power hitter returning as she hit 16 doubles, 12 home runs and drove in 58.
 
In the circle, the Gorillas have all three of their starting pitchers back from last season. Hannah Martin and Lilli Weir each started 20 games last season. Martin would also appear in 14 more games in relief and posted a 14-10 overall record with seven shutouts and two saves. She also had a 2.28 ERA and 137 strikeouts in 147.1 innings of work. Weir would made five additional relief appearances and went 7-6 with a shutout and 72 strikeouts in 93.2 innings while posting a 4.19 ERA.
 
The Gorillas are led by Jenny Fuller, who in her third season as head coach at Pitt State and her ninth overall. With previous head coaching stints at Cardinal Stritch and Northern State, Fuller has a career record of 196-163.
 
SCOUTING SAINT MARTIN'S
Last season, Saint Martin's went 29-18 overall and were 15-9 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) during the regular season. Ahead of this season, Saint Martin's is picked to finish third in the GNAC according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
 
The Saints have a tremendous amount of experience returning both in their lineup and in the circle as they have their top-seven hitters back as well as their two-two pitchers.
 
Haley Agena had the highest batting average among returners at .406 (56-for-138). She also led the team in runs scored (35), triples (5) and total bases (77).
 
In the circle, the Saints have their top starter and top reliever back. Tia Ridings appeared in 31 games and made 28 starts. She also made three other relief appearances and posted a 16-5 overall record with a shutout and a save. Additionally, Ridings had a 3.10 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 119.2 innings of work.
 
Chloe Leverington was the go-to reliever for the Saints as she appeared in 35 total games with 32 of those coming in relief. She would register a 3-9 record with 13 saves and had 87 strikeouts in 87.0 innings while posting a 3.46 ERA.
 
The Saints are led by Jim Peterson, who in his seventh season as head coach at Saint Martin's. At Saint Martin's Peterson has a record of 132-112.
 
SCOUTING ANGELO STATE
Last season, Angelo State went 29-25 overall and were 21-21 in the Lone Star Conference (LSC) during the regular season. Ahead of this season, Angelo State is picked to finish seventh in the LSC according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
 
Offensively, the Rambelles have five players returning who had at least 89 at-bats last season. Ashton McMillian has the highest batting average among returners at .315 (41-for-130). Keilei Garcia is the top power hitter returning as she hit 11 home runs and drove in 29.
 
In the circle, the Rambelles have two main arms back from last season in Cheyenne Floyd and Torrey Hogan. Floyd made the most appearances overall with 36 while making 18 starts. She would post a 2.43 ERA and registered an 8-9 record in the circle with a team-high four saves. In 117.3 innings, Floyd would notch 114 strikeouts. Hogan made 28 total appearances with 15 starts and went 7-5 with a shutout and 81 strikeouts in 103.2 innings while posting a 3.14 ERA.
 
The Rambelles are led by Travis Scott, who in his 21st season as head coach at Angelo State and his 24th overall. At Angelo State, Scott is 834-295-1. With a previous head coaching stint at Southeastern Oklahoma, Scott has a career record of 935-345-3.
 
SCOUTING WINGATE
Last season, Wingate went 48-17 overall and were 18-6 in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) during the regular season. Ahead of this season, Wingate is picked to finish first in the SAC according to the league's preseason coaches poll. They are also nationally-ranked in the preseason, checking in at No. 17 according to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
 
The Bulldogs are loaded with returning experience both in their lineup and in the circle.
 
Offensively, the Bulldogs have seven players returning who had at least 105 at-bats last season. Savannah Brooks had the highest batting average among returners at .375 (69-for-184). She also led the team in all major power categories with 18 doubles, 15 home runs and 64 RBIs. Brooks was one of four Bulldogs with double-digit home runs. The other three also return in Heaven Maness (13), Raelynn Kramer (11) and Hannah Reeves (10).
 
In the circle, the Bulldogs return all but 18 innings logged by their staff last season. Three of their pitchers won double-digit games and were led by Raechel Cutcher and her 17 wins. Cutcher also led the team in total appearances (41), starts (30), innings pitched (184.0) and strikeouts (190) while tying for the team-lead in saves with four. In addition to Cutcher, Sydney Kale, Hali Scott and Jillian Thomas all made at least nine stars and combined for seven saves.
 
The Bulldogs are led by Jamie Stanclift, who in her fifth season as head coach at Wingate and her 11th overall. At Wingate, Stanclift is 119-63. With a previous head coaching stint at Baker, Stanclift has a career record of 294-199.
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