Texas Tech Softball takes on the Mary Nutter Classic

The Texas Tech Softball Team travels to Palm Springs, California this weekend to take on the competition in the Mary Nutter Classic. A total of six games will be played by the Red Raiders over the long weekend, beginning with games against Cal Poly and UC Riverside tomorrow. Let’s break down each of the teams Texas Tech will face this weekend!

Cal Poly

Record: 5-1

Best Pitcher: No. 0 Sophia Ramuno

Ramuno is the ace of this pitching staff, coming in with a 3-1 record and a 2.00 ERA. She’s the best strikeout pitcher on this team and leads the team with 28 through 21 innings of work. She’s appeared in 5 of the team’s 6 games this season.

Best Hitter: No. 3 Julia Barnett

Barnett has been by far the best hitter on this team, averaging an impressive .529 through six games of action. She also has one of the only home runs on this team and is second on the team in RBI with four.

Others to Watch For:

Paige Maier is the team’s other primary starting pitcher, although she’s been used in relief twice in the early season. Maier is 1-0 with a complete game and a save to her credit so far this season. She relies more on the defense behind her to get outs as she has only struck out 16 batters in 18 innings of work this season. Caroline Allman is another dangerous bat in the lineup for Cal Poly. She leads the team with 8 RBI and has also been walked a team-high 5 times.

UC Riverside

Record: 4-7

Best Pitcher: No. 24 Maddie Heinlin

Heinlin is 2-2 on the season and has appeared in a team-high 24 innings of work. The ace of their pitching staff has also struck out 23 batters while only walking 10.

Best Hitter: No. 4 Haylee Kela

Kela leads the team in home runs (3) and RBI (13). She has accounted for 60% of homers this season and 37% of RBI this season. Stopping Kela will be the key to any team defeating UC Riverside.

Others to Watch For:

Since Texas Tech plays UC Riverside on the second day of tournament play, the Red Raiders will most likely face Briza Blanco (0-3) to start before quickly switching to either Grace Pieson or Brooke Perez who are a combined 2-2 on the season. Blanco has only pitched over an inning once this season and is more of a closer that starts games. Nadia Witt leads the team in hits and OBP (on-base percentage) and is a threat to get on base at any time.

Utah

Record: 7-3

Best Pitcher: No. 8 Mariah Lopez

Lopez has been dominant so far this season and is already one of the best pitchers in the PAC12. She’s started six games, dominating with 40 strikeouts and a 0.93 ERA. She’s also had two complete games this season and has a 3-2 record on the season.

Best Hitter: No. 42 Julia Jimenez

Jimenez is hitting .480 on the season and is tied for the team lead with two home runs and is third on the team with 10 RBI. Defensively, she’s a very solid third-baseman.

Others to Watch For:

You’ll either face Lopez or Sydney Sanchez as the pair have started every game as a pitcher this season. Sanchez is 3-0 on the season. Haley Denning leads the team in hits with 17 and also has 11 stolen bases this season.

Bethune-Cookman

Record: 1-8

Best Pitcher: No. 9 Halyne Gonzalez

Gonzalez hasn’t had a stellar season so far, posting a 1-4 record through 8 appearances. Through 30.1 innings, she’s struck out 23 batters while only walking 14.

Best Hitter: No. 13 Desirae Martinez

Martinez has hit .360 on the season and leads the team with four RBI. In addition, she leads the team in hits (9), OBP (.385), and Total Bases (12).

Others to Watch For:

Victoria Guzman is another pitcher Texas Tech is likely to face as she has started every game this season that Gonzalez has not. She’s 0-4 on the season with a 6.39 ERA. Haley Parks is second on the team in OBP and leads the team in Base-On-Balls.

UC San Diego

Record: 6-5

Best Pitcher: No. 99 Gabby Williams

Williams has only started one game this season but leads the team in Innings Pitched (23.1) and ERA (0.60). You’ll most likely see her in a four or five-inning relief stint this weekend.

Best Hitter: No. 23 Deena Pederson

Pederson leads the team in average (.474), hits (18), and total bases (28). She is also an excellent baserunner leading the team with three doubles, two triples, and seven stolen bases on the season.

Others to Watch For:

UC San Diego has a solid pitching staff, you could see any of four different pitchers and they are all solid. Offensively, Zoe Richards leads the team with seven RBI.

California

Record: 9-2

Best Pitcher: No. 88 Haylei Archer

Archer is arguably one of the best pitchers in the country this year and her stats show it. She’s 4-0 on the season through five appearances and has also recorded a save. The junior also has two complete games this season, in both, she allowed no earned runs. She also leads the team in strikeouts (17).

Best Hitter: No. 23 Kacey Zobac

Zobac leads Cal in average (..423), doubles (5) base-on-balls (12), and OBP (.600). She’s adept at drawing walks and waiting for the pitcher to give her a pitch to hit.

Others to Watch For:

Like UC San Diego, Cal has a deep pitching staff, with 4 different pitchers who all have complete games. Makena Smith and Tiana Bell are tied for the team lead with 13 RBI each. Both are power hitters and have multiple home runs on the season.