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SB team huddle during fall scrimmage
Cassie Kelley

Softball

Wildcats head to El Paso to open the 2022 season

ABILENE - Softball season is here and just like a year ago, the Wildcats will begin their season in El Paso as part of the UTEP Invitational. ACU will play six games over three days against the Miners, Idaho State, and Creighton. The roster is loaded with new faces looking to make their impact as the season gets underway. 

POSITION PREVIEWS

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UTEP Invitational

Weekend Schedule

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Wildcats Storylines

  • ACU returns two of their top four bats from a season ago in Calie Burris and Shaylee Alani. Sophomore Avery Miloch is another big bat in the lineup and led the Wildcats in homeruns in her freshman campaign. 
  • The Wildcats return just one pitcher from last season's rotation, sophomore Riley White, but add some solid experience in transfers Sidney Holman-Mansell and Laurén Schiek. 
  • The team brought some big bats to El Paso last season and hope they can kick start the season the same way this weekend. The Wildcats put up 19 runs in two wins over the Miners last season and Miloch went yard in her first career at bat. 
  • The outfield will feature a bevy of new faces anchored by centerfielder Mercedes Eichelberger, a transfer from Salt Lake CC. 

Scouting the Miners

  • UTEP finished last season with an 11-26 record and 5-15 in CUSA play. The team will begin tournament play on Thursday with a doubleheader against Idaho State.
  • The Miners will rely on experienced hitters to lead them with returners Ilena Santos and Pate Cathey who played in all 37 games last season. Santos hit .301 on the season for the second-best mark on the team and Cathey hit .278 and had 17 RBI. 
  • The team has five freshman and four transfers who will look to make an early season impact on opening weekend. 

Scouting the Bengals

  • Idaho State went 12-27 a season ago, including a 5-11 mark in Big Sky competition. The team will begin play on Thursday in a doubleheader matchup with UTEP.
  • The team returns three players from last season who averaged at least .300 at the plate. Mailee Newman (.333), Rheanne Lewis (.320), and Frankie Tago (.311) each return as threats at the plate.
  • The returning outfield duo of Isabel Cargill and Kaylee Butterworth combined for a .993 fielding percentage last season and will man the grass once again to begin the year.

Scouting the Bluejays

  • Creighton is coming off a 14-14 season that saw their schedule impacted heavily by cancellations amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite not playing many games, the team did hold an 8-7 record in Big East play.
  • The team returns the bulk of their roster from 2021 including Kailey Wilson who hit .398 last season and was named to the All-Big East first team. 
  • The Bluejays also return junior pitcher Mikayla Santa Cruz who pitched 57.2 innings in 2021 with a 5-4 record in the circle. 

Follow ACU on social media:

Twitter: @ACU_Softball | @ACUsports

Instagram: @acu_softball | @acusports

Facebook: /acusports

#GoWildcats