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Will King

Softball

Softball looks to build on experience for year two in the WAC

ABILENE - Wildcats softball is coming off their best win total in the last four seasons after finishing 25-26 and 15-9 in conference play in 2022. Abilene Christian returns a bulk of their team from a season ago and will look to build on their experience to become a contender in 2023. ACU's roster consists of three seniors, seven juniors, six sophomores, and six freshman. With a combination of returning experience and an infusion of youth, Coach Farler is ready to take another leap with her program.

A LOOK BACK AT 2022

The Wildcats had their most successful season of the Farler era, winning 25 games and finishing the regular season over .500 for the first time since 2017. ACU earned the No. 4 seed in their first WAC tournament, but the team struggled offensively in the tournament and dropped both games in Huntsville. Mercedes Eichelberger, Calie Burris and Sidney Holman-Mansell all earned second-team WAC honors a season ago with Eichelberger the only one returning for 2023. The season was highlighted by wins over Texas Tech, a series sweep of Sam Houston, and a series win over SFA for the first time since 2018.

Wildcat softball celebrates a homerun in a win over Lamar

2023 STORYLINES

ACU softball team huddle near the third base line in between innings at home

NEXT STEP IN THE WAC

The WAC has changed the conference landscape going into 2023 as they got rid of divisions and the teams will play eight series with no repeating of opponents. This season will see the 'Cats face the four other Texas schools as well as Utah Tech, Southern Utah, Utah Valley and NM State.

ACU will look to make another appearance in the postseason and earn their first postseason victory since 2017 in the NISC tournament. 

POWER 5 OPPORTUNITIES

After playing a series at Texas A&M last season and hosting Texas Tech, the team has upped their Power 5 opponents from four games to seven this season. The Wildcats put together a dominant 7-2 win over the Red Raiders at home last season but will have an even tougher path this season as they face several teams who are ranked in the preseason polls. 

ACU will face Texas and Virginia Tech in their third weekend of action, both teams are ranked in all four major polls. The team will also play at Mississippi State the first weekend of March and will face the Bulldogs twice. MSU is ranked in two polls and receiving votes in another. The Wildcats will also host Baylor for a midweek late in the season a team who is receiving votes in two polls. They round out their Power 5 opponents with a trip to Lubbock for a rematch with Texas Tech, looking to get back-to-back wins against the Red Raiders.

ACU SB huddles at the plate to celebrate a homerun in a win over texas tech
Shaylee Alani points a bat toward the camera in front of two bar lights

ALL-IN FOR ALANI

Shaylee Alani was a crucial part of the Wildcats lineup in 2021. She was second on the team in batting average (.306) and led the team in total hits (41) and doubles (12). She appeared in only 11 games in 2022 before an injury sidelined her for the year. An everyday starter at second base, she was an important piece on both sides of the ball and ACU will hope she is back to her old self. 

IN THE CIRCLE

Riley White will likely be the top starter for the Wildcats and made a big jump in production from her freshman to sophomore campaign. White had a solid week in Hawaii last year that led to a WAC Pitcher of the Week honor. If she can build on her production from last year the Wildcats will be in a great place.

Newcomers Bubba Rote and Talia Nielsen will both be important additions to the pitching rotation with Rote stepping into the second starting spot. Rote spent a redshirt season at Southeast Missouri State last year and Nielsen was one of the top pitchers in the CCCAA at Bakersfield College. 

Laurèn Schiek returns for her final season as well and as the only lefty on the staff should give ACU a different look in the circle. 

Wildcat softball pitchers smile at the camera in front of two bar lights
Avery Miloch at the plate in a game against UTA

A LOOK AT THE LINEUP-OFFENSE

The Wildcats return eight of 10 players who saw at least two plate appearances per game and appeared in at least 75% of the team's games in 2022. Last season saw the best offensive production of the Farler era and a majority of that offense returns for 2023. 

ACU returns 78 percent of their RBI production, 75 percent of their total hits, and 76 percent of their XBH's from last season. In addition to returning most of their offensive production they have a lot of potential on the offensive side with the additions of Olivia Taylor, Bubba Rote, and Sammie Shelander. 

Avery Miloch, Sadie Eichelberger, Riley White, and Miranda Lista should all be solid offensive weapons again this season. 

A LOOK AT THE LINEUP-DEFENSE

Much like the offensive side of the ball, there are a number a familiar faces who will be back on the field for ACU this season. Eichelberger will return to her home in center field while her former high school teammate Olivia Taylor will take over left field. Right field could see a number of different players this season. 

Sammie Shelander seems poised to take the reins at first base as a true freshman while most of the infield will look the same. Matti Reiling will be back at third base and Alani should return to her home at second. Miranda Lista should make the shift to shortstop from her place at second last year. 

Miloch and Sydney Kaiser will be mainstays behind the plate once again. 

Miranda Lista lined up for defense at second base on a softball field

OPENING WEEKEND OUTLOOK

OPPONENTS

Texas A&M - Corpus Christi
Murray State 200x200
UTEP 200x200

SCOUTING THE ISLANDERS

  • Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is coming off a 25-27 season that saw them get back to the Southland Conference tournament for the first time since 2015. The team dropped their first game and won two elimination games before falling to HCU to get eliminated. 
  • The team lost the Southland Player and Hitter of the year to graduation with the departure of Pal Egan, but they return several key players including Sydney Hoyt and Siarah Galvan who were named to the preseason All-Conference team. 
  • The Islanders were selected to finish fourth in the Southland Conference preseason poll. 
  • Galvan led the team in ERA, WHIP, and batting average against last season while Hoyt had the second-highest batting average behind Egan. 

SCOUTING THE RACERS

  • Murray State had the best season in program history a year ago going 40-18-1 and 21-7 in conference play. The team won the regular season and tournament titles in the Ohio Valley Conference and appeared in their first ever NCAA Regional. 
  • The team returns a dominant 1-2 punch in the circle with Hannah James and Jenna Veber. The two combined for an ERA of 1.23 and an opponent batting average of .198 last season. 
  • As a team, the Racers outscored their opponents 269-126 last season and they return four of their top seven hitters including preseason all-conference selection Gracie Osbron.
  • The Racers were selected to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll. 

SCOUTING THE MINERS

  • Last season, UTEP softball finished with a 15-34 record and a 5-19 mark in Conference USA play. The team does return six of their top seven hitters from a season ago. 
  • The pitching staff combined for a 6.27 ERA and they return their best pitcher Aalijah Alarcon who pitched 132.0 innings a season ago with a 4.67 ERA. 
  • The Miners were selected to finish 10th in the Conference USA preseason poll. 

WILDCATS WRAPUP

ALL ABOUT THE 'CATS

  • The Wildcats return 12 players from a year ago and add 10 new faces, five freshmen and five transfers.
  • The team is coming off their best season of the Farler era and have a solid core to build upon as the move into the 2023 season. ACU finished 25-26 a year ago and earned the No. 4 seed in the WAC Tournament. 
  • ACU lost stud pitcher Sidney Holman-Mansell and dominant first baseman Calie Burris, but they return much of their core from last year. 
  • Riley White will move into the No. 1 pitching position and she made great improvement from year one to year two. If she can take another step in the circle as well as at the plate she will be a force for the team. 
  • The Wildcats return six of their top seven hitters from a year ago and return well over 70 percent of their offensive production. 
  • Avery Miloch returns as the Wildcats top RBI producer and Sadie Eichelberg is back as the leader in hits and returning batting average and on-base percentage. 
Tournament Central

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