GAME NOTES

CANYON, Texas – No. 12 West Texas A&M finish the regular season with six games at the friendly confines of Schaeffer Park beginning this weekend with doubleheaders against UT Permian Basin and Western New Mexico. 
 
The Lady Buffs and Falcons open the home stand on Friday, April 23, with a pair followed by another doubleheader on Sunday, April 25, against the Mustangs. 
 
GAME COVERAGE
A live pay-per-view stream and stats will be provided for all four games this weekend. For more information, visit GoBuffsGo.com. 
 
SCOUTING UT PERMIAN BASIN
UT Permian Basin enters the weekend at 5-29 overall and 3-21 in Lone Star Conference after splitting a two-game series against Cameron.
 
The Falcons are led by Tiala Tagaloa, who is 59-118 since taking over the program in 2015. 
 
Aracely Araiza is hitting a team-high .291 on the season as she has appeared in 32 games including 29 starts. The sophomore from El Paso has eight doubles and two home runs for 17 RBI for a slugging percentage of .468.
 
Becky Berth has started in 16 games in the circle for the Falcons compiling a record of 2-14 with an ERA of 5.57. She has allowed 81 runs, 65 earned, on 113 hits, 44 walks and 44 strikeouts. 
 
Abrie Castillo, Marissa Salinas, Sierra Camacho and Abby Cousins have also pitched innings for UTPB. 
 
THE SERIES
The Lady Buffs are 33-2 all-time against the Falcons including three straight wins where they have averaged 9.3 runs per game. They are a perfect 14-0 at home. 
 
SCOUTING WESTERN NEW MEXICO
Western New Mexico are 1-23 overall and LSC play having lost 23 straight games after beating Texas Woman's on opening day.
 
The Mustangs are led by Elsa Cocker, who was promoted from assistant coach to head coach in July 2017.
 
Eliza Ortiz is hitting a team-high .347 with two doubles and two triples while driving in two runs. Kaila Burnett has driven a team-high 11 runs while hitting .304 with two doubles and a home run. 
 
Vanessa Hunt has started 12 games in the circle for the Mustangs. She is 0-10 on the season with an ERA of 15.03 having allowed 41 runs, 36 unearned, on 50hits with 10 walks and 10 strikeouts. 
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Lady Buffs are 18-0 all-time against the Mustangs in a series that dates back to 2006. They have scored a total of 193 runs in the 18 previous meetings. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Lady Buffs got back to the win column last weekend with doubleheader sweeps over Midwestern State and Texas Woman's. 
 
Kyra Lair was one strike away from her second career no-hitter in the opening game of the series against MSU as the Lady Buffs have now won 19 straight over the Mustangs. 
 
On Sunday, WT outscored TWU 20-3 en route to extending their win streak over the Pioneers to five games. 
 
WE HAVE A SITUATION
Ruby Salzman was ranked as one of the most clutch hitters with runners in scoring position in NCAA Division II softball by 3-4-6 Charts.
 
The sophomore enters the final six games of the regular season hitting .500 (26-for-52) with RISP. She is also hitting an impressive .481 (13-of-27) with two outs. 
 
Shanna McBroom has been equally impressive with RISP hitting .486 (17-for-35). She is also a perfect 3-for-3 with a runner on third and two outs.
 
AND THE LEADER IS...
McBroom continues to lead the nation in hits with 60, one more than Missouri Western's Sydni Hawkins and three more than Salzman. In fact, her 60 hits through 36 games is five away from tying her career high set back in 2018 in 53 games. 
 
The senior catcher from Sachse also ranks second nationally in triples (6) and sixth in total bases (99). 
 
Salzman actually ranks ahead of her teammate in total bases as her total of 103 are third-most in NCAA Division II softball. 
 
The Lady Buffs as a team rank fourth in runs (255), fifth in hits (334), seventh in home runs (42) and seventh in triples (13).
 
SO YOU ARE SAYING THEIR IS A CHANCE
The NCAA DII softball committee released its first regional rankings for the 2021 NCAA Tournament on Wednesday afternoon. WT is one of eight teams under consideration for a berth into the South Central Regional. 
 
The first two regional rankings will list teams under consideration in alphabetical order followed by a ranking of the Top 8 teams in the South Central Region in the third poll. 
 
This year's championships will feature the top six teams, with the winner of the Lone Star Conference and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference receiving an automatic bid with four remaining at-large spots. The softball selection show will broadcast on NCAA.com at 3 p.m. CT on Sunday, May 16. 
 
The 2021 South Central Regional is scheduled to take place on May 19-21 at the John Cain Family Softball Complex in Commerce.
 
NFCA DIVISION II POLL
WT remained 12th in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA Division II Top 25 released on Wednesday afternoon. 
 
Augustana stayed atop the rankings for the third consecutive week after picking up 15 of the 16 first-place votes. Valdosta State is second followed by UT Tyler, North Georgia, UIndy, Texas A&M-Commerce, Lincoln Memorial, Rollins, Young Harris and Oklahoma Christian. WT is 12th with 223 points, one behind Concordia Irvine with fellow LSC schools Angelo State and Texas A&M-Kingsville coming in at 22nd and 23rd. 
 
RECORD WATCH
McBroom enters the weekend nine runs away from tying Kasey Henderson for sixth on the all-time list. She could also make a jump in the total bases all-time list as she is only eight away from passing former All-American Kylee Moore int of fifth.
 
With her next home run, Salzman will move into a tie for sixth on the all-time list with McBroom. 
 
Lair now ranks sixth in all-time wins and will move into a tie for games started when she takes the circle on Friday afternoon. 
 
THE MOOK ERA
A new era of Lady Buff softball officially began on June 20, 2019, as Michael Mook took charge as the third head coach in program history.  Under Mook, the Lady Buffs hold a 40-19 overall record and have been ranked in the Top 25 in seven straight weeks. 
 
Mook brought an impressive resume to WT softball with a 154-61 (.716) record at Valley City State University over his four-years with the Vikings including a program record 54 wins and an appearance in the NAIA World Series in the 2019 season.
 
LONE STAR CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL 
Oklahoma Christian totaled 619 points to sit atop the preseason poll, including 22 first-place votes.  UT Tyler was picked second with 548 points (four first-place) followed by Texas A&M-Commerce (five first-place, 538), Angelo State (three first-place, 535) and Texas A&M-Kingsville (six first-place, 533) to close out the Top 5.  Lubbock Christian (one first-place, 501) sits sixth followed by West Texas A&M (444), Cameron (375), St. Mary's (311), Eastern New Mexico (276), St. Edward's (265), UT Permian Basin (213), Texas Woman's (161), Midwestern State (143), Texas A&M International (143) and Western New Mexico (107).
 
ASU's Courtney Barnhill and TAMIU's Briana Arredondo received co-LSC Preseason Player of the Year recognition while OC's Kali Crandall was named the Preseason Pitcher of the Year. 
 
UP NEXT
WT will host Eastern New Mexico for Senior Day on Saturday, May 1, at Schaeffer Park.