Game Notes
 
CANYON, Texas – The West Texas A&M softball team returns to action this weekend, Feb. 4-5, when they open the 2023 campaign for the South Central Regional Challenge in Los Lunas, N.M.  The Lady Buffs will face Adams State, New Mexico Highlands, Fort Lewis, and CSU-Pueblo.
 
GAME COVERAGE
A live stream and stats will be provided by the WNMU Communications department.  The game will be streamed on the Lone Star Conference Digital Network.  Fans will be able to purchase a $10 daily pass that will give them access to all contests on the network that day as well as access to previously aired games from the current season for 24 hours. Fans can also purchase a $75 softball season pass that will give them access to all Lone Star Conference basketball games.  In addition to live and archived streaming options, viewers will have the option to purchase and download games from the 2022-23 season for $10 each.
 
A LOOK AT THE LADY BUFFS
Head coach Michael Mook returns to the helm of the program after leading the Lady Buffs to a 29-16 overall record and 17-13 mark in LSC action. WT appeared in the conference tournament with a first-round win against Cameron before falling to No. 1 UT Tyler.
 
The Lady Buffs return 19 student-athletes from the 2022 team including All-Region honorees Ruby Salzman and Brittni Rufus along with LSC All-Freshman pitcher Heidi Vortherms.
 
WT welcomed five newcomers to the 2023 roster featuring utility players Gabie McConnell and Ruby Moore, catcher Lauren Granger, pitcher Emilee Boyer, and infielder Heaven Moreno.
 
SCOUTING ADAMS STATE (Saturday/ 3 p.m. CT)
The Grizzlies were selected to finish 11^th in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and are led by first-year head coach Dane Craig.
 
Returning senior Jade Garbiso led the Grizzlies in innings pitched while also posting the team's highest batting average. Garbiso hit .341 with a 1.011 OPS with 13 doubles, four triples, and four home runs.
 
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS (Saturday/5 p.m. CT)
NMHU is coming off an 8-44 season and are led by first-year head coach Ashley Forshee.
 
Last season, the Cowgirls hit .242 led by Arianna Ramirez with a .297 batting average. Ramirez also returns as NMHU's innings leader from 2022. In 31 games, the senior pitched 112 innings with a 7.94 ERA.
 
SCOUTING FORT LEWIS (Sunday/10 a.m. CT)
Fort Lewis was selected sixth in the RMAC preseason poll and are led by second-year head coach Dwight Sanders. In his first season with the Skyhawks, Sanders and his team battled back from an 0-14 start to finish to a 20-31 overall mark and a 20-20 record in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.
Sophomore Alex Tenorio was responsible for nine of the Skyhawk's triples and finished the season batting .329.  Hailie Mann returns to the circle for FLC after pitching 132 innings over 33 appearances in 2023, ending the year with a 6.55 ERA.
 
SCOUTING CSU-PUEBLO (Sunday/12 p.m. CT)
The ThunderWolves went 21-24 last season with a 17-23 record in the RMAC.  Bianca Duran enters her second season at the helm of the program after spending five seasons as the assistant and interim head coach.
 
CSU-Pueblo hit .307 as a team led by returning junior Delaney Barelo.  The Pueblo, Colo. product finished the season with a .328 batting average while Jacelynn Trujillo returns as the only pitcher from last season.
 
NFCA RANKINGS
Defending National Champion Rogers State received all 16 first-place votes for a total of 400 points in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Preseason Poll. Cal State Dominguez Hills followed RSU in second with UT Tyler taking the No. 3 spot. Auburn-Montgomery and North Georgia finished the poll No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.
 
Texas A&M-Kingsville ranked sixth followed by Seton Hill, Central Oklahoma, Adelphi, and Grand Valley State to round out the Top 10. Two additional programs from the LSC were named to the preseason poll with Angelo State in 18th and Lubbock Christian in 21st while Oklahoma Christian is receiving votes.
 
LSC PRESEASON POLL
UT Tyler picked up 35 of 37 possible first-place votes and 550 total points as the Patriots were selected to defend their LSC title. Angelo State followed the Patriots in the standings with 474 points while Texas A&M-Kingsville (466, 1 first place) took the third spot. Lubbock Christian (454) and Oklahoma Christian (405, 1 first place) sit ahead of WT's 368 points.
 
St. Mary's received the seventh spot with 346 points followed by Cameron (242) and St. Edward's (240). Texas Woman's (228) and Texas A&M International (199) occupy the 10^th and 11^th spots, respectively. Eastern New Mexico (181), Midwestern State (124), UT Permian Basin (123), and Western New Mexico (40) round out the poll.
 
EXTRA ELITE 100 LIST
Diana Murtha, Brittni Rufus, Ruby Salzman, and Heidi Vortherms were named to Extra Innings Softball's inaugural Extra Elite 100 List. Criteria utilized to form these rankings includes a combination of career achievements, most recent on-field history, and overall impact on their team and the sport as a whole.
 
Salzman led WT on the list ranked No. 21 followed by Murtha at No. 62, Vortherms at No. 75, and Rufus at No. 92.
 
UP NEXT
The Lady Buffs open their home schedule as WT returns to competition on Feb. 10-12 for the WT Invitational at Schaeffer Park.  WT will face Colorado Mesa, New Mexico Highlands, and Fort Lewis.