Midwestern State at HSU/OBU Tournament

Saturday, Feb. 19 - Sunday, Feb. 20
Sully Anderson Field and Dee White Field (Arkadelphia, Ark.)

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – With opening weekend under their belt, Midwestern State is ready for the Henderson State/Ouachita Baptist Tournament this weekend in Arkadelphia, Ark. The Mustangs will take on four opponents through Saturday, Feb. 19 and Sunday, Feb. 20. MSU faces Ouachita Baptist and Christian Brothers on Saturday and take on Henderson State and Texas A&M-Kingsville on Sunday.

THE SCHEDULE

Saturday, Feb. 19
Midwestern State vs. Ouachita Baptist, 11 a.m. (Sully Anderson Field)
Midwestern State vs. Christian Brothers, 4 p.m. (Dee White Field)
Sunday, Feb. 20
Midwestern State vs. Henderson State, 10 a.m. (Dee White Field)
Midwestern State vs. No. 20 Texas A&M-Kingsville, 12:30 p.m. (Dee White Field)

BIG HIT ENERGY

After the team's opening weekend of play, Bailey Brenek and Ashley Turner lead Midwestern State with eight hits each. Brenek ranks third in the Lone Star Conference and 28th in the NCAA with a .571 average. The junior's on-base percentage of 0.571 is tenth best in the conference. Brenek collected two hits in the last four games and turned in three RBIs. She donned doubles against Missouri Southern and Southwestern Oklahoma.
 
Turner's .500 average sits tenth in the league and 71stt in Division II after five games. The junior currently rides a five-game hit streak as she drove in six runs. She notched a team-best seven RBIs through the weekend. Turner averages .60 doubles per game to rank second in the LSC and 44th in the nation. Her three total doubles sit 11th in the conference. The Cache, Okla., product had two doubles on three hits against Missouri Southern to drive four RBIs and added another double against Fort Hays State.
 
Junior Daylan Inkman and sophomore Hanna Hetherington each posted four hits. Inkman holds a .333 average and Hetherington averages .286 per game.

FROM THE MOUND

Kathryn Wells is 1-0 after pitching five innings against Southwestern Oklahoma State. The junior allowed just one hit and one run while throwing a team-best five strikeouts. Her 1.40 average hits allowed lead the Lone Star Conference and Division II. Wells averages seven strikeouts after her season debut.

THE BRITTANIE TALLEY ERA

Head Coach Brittanie Talley begins her first year at the reigns of the Midwestern State team and is the third coach in program history. She comes from Vernon College where she turned an eight-win program into a powerhouse over the last five years. Talley completed a 129-75 record (.632) over the past five seasons. She earned Texoma NexStar College Coach of the Year after leading the Chaps to a 42-12 mark last spring and an advancement to the NJCAA regional tournament. Talley had a standout career at Jackson State where she earned second-team All-SWAC honors on the mound.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS

Ouachita Baptist was picked seventh of 12 teams in the 2022 Great American Conference preseason poll. The Tigers went 20-18 in the 2021 season and recorded an 18-15 conference record. They currently sit at 2-8 after a two-game win streak against Central Baptist.  
 
The team returned three All-GAC selections in Hope Waid, Heather Brown and Nikki Schneider. Waid hit .377 and stole eight bases last season. After six appearances and 17 at-bats, she averages .856 at the plate. The junior leads the Tigers with seven hits and three RBIs. The shortstop has a .900 fielding percent and seven assists.
 
Brown hit .383 last season and leads the team with a .192 average this year. The junior earned five runs and five hits, including a double against Central Baptist. In her ten starts, Brown was walked three times and drove in one RBI. The center fielder has a .955 fielding percent and 22 catches.
 
Madison Miller leads Ouachita Baptist with a 1.59 ERA and 1-2 record in five appearances. In 22 innings, the senior allowed 23 hits and 11 runs while posting 21 strikeouts. She walked just eight batters and owns a 1.41 WHIP.

SCOUTING THE LADY BUCS

Christian Brothers was picked 12th in the 2022 Gulf South Conference preseason poll after going 7-29 in 2021. The Lady Bucs are 1-7 through the beginning of the 2022 season. Their solo 16-8 win came on Feb. 12 against Miles College.
 
Kendall Westbrooks leads the team with a .444 batting average. The senior had 12 hits in 27 at-bats, including four doubles and two triples. Westbrooks drove in six RBIs and has a .741 slugging percent. The catcher/center fielder has 38 catches and 30 putouts on the season.
 
Elaina McGill turned in a team-best ten RBIs in 25 at-bats. The junior has eight runs and nine hits, including one double and two triples. McGill bats at .360 for the season and was walked five times. She made three strikeouts. The infielder owns 28 catches and 12 assists.
 
Kelsey Wurm is the only Lady Buc pitcher with a win, sitting at a 1-2 record. The junior has a 2.44 ERA after allowing 24 hits and 16 runs in 14.1 innings. She has eight strikeouts and four walks.

SCOUTING THE REDDIES

Henderson State was picked tenth in the GAC preseason poll. The 2021 season was the first for head coach David Martinez as the team went 10-23 in conference play and 13-31 overall. HSU is 0-9 to start the 2022 season.
 
Sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn O'Quinn returns as she finished second in the GAC with 26 stolen bases. She led the Reddies with a .341 average, 47 hits and 20 runs scored. Junior third basement Abbie Moore led Henderson State with nine doubles and 56 total bases.
 
This season freshman Erika Bittinger leads the Reddies with a .357 average in six appearances and five starts. She has five hits and one RBI to build a .429 slugging percent. The pitcher allowed 16 hits and 11 runs in 13 innings on the mound. Bittinger has a 4.85 ERA on nine strikeouts and five walked batters.
 
Monica Monreal leads Henderson State with eight hits in her nine starts. The junior has one double and three home runs to drive in six RBIs. Monreal scored four runs and was walked twice.
 
Brooke Johnson leads the Reddies with a 2.80 ERA. The freshman has two starts and five appearances on the mound. She allowed nine hits and four runs with eight walks and ten strikeouts.

SCOUTING THE JAVELINAS

The Lone Star Conference foe of Texas A&M-Kingsville was picked sixth in the LSC 2022 preseason poll after a 26-15 record in 2021. The Javelinas are 8-1 in 2022, currently riding an eight-game win streak after losing to Harding in their opening game.
 
Kelly Loren leads TAMUK with a .636 batting average. The senior has 14 hits and 11 runs in eight starts. She tallied five RBIs on one double and two triples for the Javelinas. Loren struck out twice and was walked eight times in 22 at-bats. She has a .733 on-base percentage. From the outfield, she has just six catches and six putouts.
 
Kayla Gonzales tops Texas A&M-Kingsville with 15 hits in 31 at-bats. The sophomore earned ten runs and drove in a team-best 17 RBIs. She sits second in the conference with five home runs and adds three doubles. Gonzales has a .484 batting average after striking out twice. The infielder has a .955 fielding percent with 22 catches and nine assists.
 
Beth Montes has a .46 ERA in two starts and three appearances. The sophomore is 2-0 after 15 innings pitched. She's allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks. Montes has 16 strikeouts and a .59 WHIP.

SERIES HISTORY

MSU is 2-1 against Ouachita Baptist since 2021. The Mustangs dropped the opening game of the series by 3-9, but rebounded with wins in 2012 and 2013. All three matches have taken place in Arkadelphia, Ark.
 
This will be the first match-up between Midwestern State and Christian Brothers University.
 
The Mustangs are 4-1 against Henderson State, with the series starting in 2008. The first game saw a 12-0 win for MSU in Denton, Texas. Midwestern State dropped the first 2012 match-up in Arkadelphia, Ark., but rebounded in the second game. The Mustangs took back-to-back wins in the 2013 double header. MSU is 3-1 when playing in Arkadelphia, Ark.
 
Midwestern State is 24-17 against Texas A&M-Kingsville since the series began in 2004. The Mustangs are on a ten-game losing streak to the Javelinas that started in 2016. The last win was on April 23, 2016, in Wichita Falls, Texas. MSU is 4-1 against TAMUK in neutral sites with the last win coming in San Antonio, Texas. The team won 10-4 in 2010.

UP NEXT

Midwestern State heads to Springfield, Mo. for the Drury Invitational from Friday, Feb. 25 to Sunday, Feb. 27 at Thompson Field at Meador Park. The Mustangs will face a slew of Missouri teams including Northwest Missouri State, Drury and Southwest Baptist. The full tournament schedule is available online.