RICHARDSON, Texas – Midwestern State returns to action for the first time in nine days as it visits Lone Star Conference newcomer UT Dallas on Saturday afternoon. It is the first ever meeting between the two programs. The doubleheader gets underway at UTD Softball Field at 1 p.m.

Midwestern State (5-31, 3-23) hopes to end a four-game slide after No. 13-ranked Oklahoma Christian swept the Mustangs last week in Wichita Falls. 

The Eagles scored nine runs in the first inning and won the opener, 12-0, in five innings.  In the nightcap, MSU was trailing 2-1 through five innings, and OC erupted for five runs in the sixth inning to win the game, 8-2.

The Mustangs are 2-13 on the road this season but earned an 8-0 victory over Texas Woman's in five innings at Dianne Baker Field on March 27. MSU lost its last road game at UT Tyler, 2-1, on March 29.

Midwestern State has been dealing with injuries to outfielder Erikha Ibarra-Subia, who has not played since March 22 against West Texas A&M, and catcher Madison Stewart, who last played at Lubbock Christian on March 14.

Hayeli Acosta moved from shortstop to catcher in Stewart's absence. Acosta has at least one hit in seven of her last eight games. The senior from Dallas is hitting .400 in that span with three multi-hit games, and she was 3-for-6 in the doubleheader against Oklahoma Christian last week.

Stormy Daniel has been the starting shortstop in nine of the last 10 games and has turned four double plays for the Mustangs.

Paige Scanlin has seen the bulk of playing time in the outfield since Ibarra-Subia sustained her injury. The junior from Conroe, Texas, leads the team with three home runs and has 12 RBIs this season.

Chipper Mayorga and Marisela Landa are tied for the team lead with 17 RBIs apiece. 

Mayorga leads the team with a .355 batting average and has 44 total bases with six doubles this season.

Landa leads the Stangs with seven doubles this season and has also homered. Only Ibarra-Subia has drawn more walks than Landa, who has reached 11 times via base-on-balls. The senior first baseman from Dodge City, Kansas, has been hit by a pitch a team-leading six times this season.

Freshman designated player Myka Riley has been swinging a hot bat for the Mustangs going 8-for-22 (.364) in her last eight games and has pushed her season average to .262.

Midwestern State has a team ERA of 4.91 and opponents are hitting .331 against the Mustangs this season. 

Kayleigh Bowers has thrown 91.2 innings with 17 starts to lead the staff. The junior from Phoenix has an ERA of 4.20 and has struck out 37 batters this season.

Isabela Cornell has the lowest ERA on the team at 3.96, and she has made 21 appearances in the circle, including nine starts. The junior from Fort Worth, Texas, has recorded 24 strikeouts.
 

UT DALLAS (11-23, 9-17)

UT Dallas is 4-14 at home this season and has lost three of its first four games on a six-game homestand, but the Comets earned a split with Lubbock Christian last week, winning the first game of a doubleheader, 4-1, before dropping the nightcap, 8-7.

Haley Whitfield is the leading hitter for the Comets with a .364 batting average. 

Rachel Wallace and Avery Martin lead the team with 19 RBIs apiece. 

Julia Maniscalo and Cadence Hernandez have each hit four home runs for UTD, which is averaging 4.7 runs per game.

UT Dallas has a staff ERA of 5.77 and opponents are hitting .313 against the Comets.

Mere Cavazos has made a team-leading 11 starts for UTD, which has started six different pitchers this season. Cavazos is 3-8 with a 4.13 ERA.

Savannah Vanderpool leads the staff with 45 strikeouts over 45 1/3 innings and has two saves this season. Opponents are hitting .204 off Vanderpool.

Katie Hart has a 2.93 ERA and a record of 2-3 over 13 appearances with six starts. Hart is holding opponents to a .266 batting average.

Midwestern State returns home on April 17 for a doubleheader with Texas A&M International. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.