HCU Huskies (9-15, 0-0 SLC) @ TAMUCC Islanders (12-9, 0-0 SLC)
- Chapman Field (Corpus Christi, Texas)
- Thursday (12 pm and 2 pm - DH)
- Friday (12 pm)
- LIVE STATS
After another rugged non-conference slate featuring five tournaments and just one game on home turf, Houston Christian University begins its Southland Conference campaign with a three-game series at rival Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
The Huskies (9-15) have cooled off since a hot 8-3 start out of the gate, most recently dropping all five of its games in South Carolina at the Beach Chicken Brawl hosted by Coastal Carolina University.
"I am hopeful that our tough schedule thus far will really pay dividends for us as we move forward," said Head Coach
Mary-Ellen Hall. "These ladies have faced a good bit of adversity early here in the season, but they have formed a really good bond and chemistry already. I know they are ready to turn the page and get after it in conference play. That's what we've been working towards since last May."
AB Garcia continues to pace the HCU offense, batting .405 with a .902 OPS. She has a team-best 16 runs scored and also leads the squad with 11 steals in 13 attempts.
Haylie Savage has a .303 average to go with three homers and 16 RBI, both team-highs.
Kaicey Hagler is second on the team in RBI with 14 while
Avery Drake is hitting .275 with eight stolen bases.
In the circle,
Katy Janes headlines the hurlers, posting a 2.81 ERA and a 4-5 mark with seven complete games.
TAMUCC leads the all-time series with HCU 17-14 after the two teams met five times in 2022.
The Islanders swept the regular season series in Houston (1-0, 7-0, 2-0), but the Blue and Orange took both meetings in the Southland Tournament, rallying for a 5-3 win in the opener and then again in a 5-4 elimination game victory.
Corpus has won three games in a row and stands at 12-9 on the season, but hasn't played since a doubleheader sweep of Prairie View A&M on March 7.
Kimane Rogron, a junior utility player, leads the Islanders with a .323 batting average. 2022 3rd team All-SLC selection Sydney Hoyt is batting .314 with a homer and team-high 15 RBI.
Primrose Aholelei, a junior righty from Hawai'i, is 8-6 in the circle with a 1.95 ERA, nine complete games and 72 strikeouts in 82.2 innings pitched.
HCU was picked to finish fifth in the Southland preseason poll, one spot behind their rivals from down the coast. The Huskies marched all the way to the SLC Tournament semi-finals last season before falling to eventual league champion Southeastern Louisiana University.
McNeese University was tabbed as the preseason favorite to take the league in 2023.
The Huskies and Islanders will play a doubleheader on Thursday, March 16 starting at noon, followed by single St. Patrick's Day game on Friday, March 17.
