After securing its first Power Four victory since April 20, 2022, with a win over the University of Utah, 9-4, on Thursday, the softball team will play in a weekend series against the University of Texas-Arlington Mavericks, starting with a doubleheader on Friday at home.
ACU is now 3-24 on the season with its first conference action coming in the UTA series.
“Looking forward to conference,” Head Coach Jo Koons said. “I think it was great coming off that win at Utah and the momentum it’s going to carry us into conference.”
Before Thursday’s win, the Wildcats were run-ruled in five innings in the two previous games of their series against Utah, 13-0 and 13-3.
In the win, Elizabeth Schafer, senior first baseman from Rockwall, led the way for the Wildcats against Utah with 3 RBIs in 4 at-bats. Ari Maxwell, sophomore outfielder from Edmond, Oklahoma, had two RBIs along with two runs scored. Ciana Arguijo, freshman utility player from Round Rock, had three hits and three runs in 4 at-bats.
Maxwell leads the team in RBIs and runs with 12 and 23, respectively.
“Ciana had a phenomenal day,” Koons said. “Ari continues to hit the ball hard, which is encouraging. Elizabeth is having good at-bats. I think the three of them at the top of the lineup has pressed everybody else to just scratch and claw a little bit more.”
On the mound, Leah Meyer, junior right-handed pitcher from Ocala, Florida, pitched four innings, striking out six of the 16 batters she faced and giving up zero earned runs.
Entering WAC play, ACU has faced four top 25 teams, including three of the current top 5. Those teams are No. 16 Texas A&M, No. 3 Texas, No. 2 Texas Tech and No. 4 Oklahoma. ACU was run-ruled in each matchup, including both against Oklahoma.
UTA enters Friday’s game with an 11-14 record that includes a 1-4 record on the road. The Wildcats have one common opponent with the Mavericks, South Dakota State. ACU lost both of its matchups in a double header on Feb. 11, in a 12-3 six-inning run rule and again with an 8-5 defeat.
In UTA’s two matchups on March 13 and 14, the Mavericks won 4-1 and 6-4 at home.
The UTA pitching staff has only thrown 42 strikeouts total this season, something that Koons says will allow her team to be aggressive.
After the Wildcats close out the series on Saturday afternoon at noon, they will travel to Denton to face UNT on March 25.
