DENTON, Texas – Midwestern State returns to conference play with a doubleheader at Texas Woman's on Friday evening followed by a trip to UT Tyler for a Sunday afternoon twin bill. 

The Mustangs face TWU at Dianne Baker Field with the doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday. The Patriots host MSU at UT Tyler Softball Field at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Midwestern State (4-26, 2-18) stepped outside of conference play and faced No. 8-ranked Southern Arkansas at Paris Junior College on Wednesday. The Muleriders took the first game, 8-0, and won the nightcap, 6-2.

Midwestern State was shut out for the first time since a 2-0 loss at St. Mary's on March 6. It was the seventh time this season that the Mustangs were held scoreless as the Muleriders outhit MSU, 12-3, and capitalized on three errors.

Midwestern State outhit Southern Arkansas in the second game of the doubleheader, 10-6, but stranded six runners, leaving the bases loaded in the first and sixth innings. 

Hayeli Acosta and Myka Riley each had a hit in both games of the doubleheader. Stormy Daniel and Mia Sanchez had two hits apiece in the second game for the Mustangs, who are averaging 5.6 hits and three runs per game this season.

Chipper Mayorga is hitting .380 for Midwestern State, and she is tied with Marisela Landa for the team lead with 16 RBIs. 

Landa leads the team with seven doubles and is one of three players to hit a home run this season. Paige Scanlin hit two homers, and Tatum Waller homered for the Mustangs. Waller has the only triple for MSU this season.

Erikha Ibarra-Subia, who missed the doubleheader against Southern Arkansas with an injury, leads the team with an on-base percentage of .454. The junior had a 17-game on-base streak halted by the injury she suffered in the fourth inning during the second game of a doubleheader against West Texas A&M. 

Ibarra-Subia is leading the team with 11 stolen bases on 14 attempts, and the Mustangs are 40-of-51 as a team. Daniel attempted to steal third base in the second game against Southern Arkansas but was caught stealing for the first time on nine attempts this season.

The Midwestern State pitching staff has a 4.74 ERA and opponents are hitting .326 against the Mustangs.

Kayleigh Bowers has thrown 80 innings for MSU this season with 14 starts in 17 appearances and has the lowest ERA on the staff at 3.85. Bowers leads the staff with five complete games and 34 strikeouts.

Isabella Cornell has made seven starts among her 17 appearances. The junior from Fort Worth, Texas, has worked 45 innings and recorded 22 strikeouts this season. Cornell has been the winning pitcher twice. Kaylin Salazar and Audrey Sierra have also earned winning decisions this season.

TEXAS WOMAN'S (20-14, 14-6)

Midwestern State leads the all-time series with the Pioneers, 38-28, and swept the doubleheader at Mustangs Park last season, winning the first game 4-3 and taking the nightcap, 7-6. MSU is 14-15 when visiting TWU and lost two of three games at Dianne Baker Field two years ago.

Texas Woman's has a seven-game winning streak and is 8-4 at home this season. The Pioneers swept a doubleheader from Henderson State on Wednesday, 5-3 and 11-1.

Randi Crawford is 10-2 with a 2.21 ERA in 19 appearances with 15 starts for TWU this season. Crawford has thrown nine complete games and has four shutouts. The sophomore from Blossom, Texas, has struck out 91 batters with only 12 walks over 92 innings and is holding opponents to a .201 batting average. 

Marissa Espinoza is hitting .405 for the Pioneers and leads the team with 30 RBIs. She has hit four home runs and 10 doubles this season. The junior from Keller, Texas, has 19 steals on 23 attempts and has scored 32 runs for TWU.

The Pioneers are hitting .278 as a team with 23 home runs, and they are scoring 5.1 runs per game.

UT TYLER (25-7, 17-3)

UT Tyler leads the all-time series with the Mustangs, 13-1, and has a 12-game winning streak in the series after sweeping a doubleheader at Mustangs Park last season, 13-4 and 7-0.

Midwestern State is 0-5 all-time when visiting the Patriots and has been outscored in Tyler, 38-1. MSU has not scored a run in Tyler since its first visit in March of 2021, when the Patriots prevailed, 4-1.

UT Tyler hosts Lubbock Christian at Irwin Field for a doubleheader on Friday before the Mustangs visit on Sunday.

The Patriots have a 10-game winning streak and are 11-1 at home this season. 

UT Tyler is 135-10 at home since joining the Lone Star Conference, and its all-time record at home is an astounding 410-49 for a winning percentage of .893.

Kaylee Cavazos is hitting .404 for the Patriots with 11 doubles, three triples and a home run. She has 14 RBIs and has scored 32 runs this season.

Kaelyn Lerma leads the team with 33 RBIs, and Taryn Barney has hit a team-leading eight home runs with 30 RBIs. 

Alli Kimball has a 1.92 ERA in 14 appearances with five starts in the circle for UT Tyler and boasts a 5-1 record.  Kearston Gooch has thrown a team-leading 70 2/3 innings, allowing 73 hits with 40 strikeouts.

The Patriots' pitching staff has a 3.02 ERA with five shutouts, and opponents are hitting .263 against UT Tyler hurlers this season.

Midwestern State returns home on April 3 for a doubleheader with Oklahoma Christian. First pitch at Mustangs Park is scheduled for 2 p.m.