California Baptist University
#5 Tarleton State
Softball Set to Make Inaugural Run In WAC Tournament
5/9/2023 3:39:00 PM | Softball
RIVERSIDE – The 2023 Western Athletic Conference softball tournament is set to begin tomorrow, with California Baptist University continuing a tradition of postseason excellence in Phoenix.
This season marks 14 straight years of postseason eligibility where the Lancers have made the field. Dating back to coach Mike Smith's inaugural season in 2004, the Lancers have made every postseason in which they could, excluding the Division I and II transition years when it wasn't an option. CBU is 76-28 during this run, highlighted by an NAIA National Championship in 2009.
The Lancers secured the eighth seed in the eight-team tournament with a 27-27 season record to go with a 10-14 conference tally. The Lancers shared the final spot with Utah Valley, Abilene Christian, and NM State after the last game, with tie-breakers favoring the Lancers. The tournament's first round is single elimination between the 6-and-7 seeds and the 5-and-8 seeds, with winners earning a second game on day one.
Tarleton State is first in the bracket for CBU, against whom the Lancers took the regular season series 2-1 in Stephenville. The Texans finished 2023 with a record of 30-26 and 13-11, taking WAC series' from Seattle U, Abilene Christian, NM State, and UT Arlington along the way. The Texans are led by a quartet of hitters averaging north of .330 while slugging no less than .505. The Texans are most vulnerable in the circle as their pitching staff boasts the highest ERA of any team in the tournament at 4.95. CBU and Tarleton will face off at 1:00 p.m. at GCU Softball Stadium.
Should the Lancers defeat TSU again, a rematch with Seattle U would be waiting for them at 7:00 p.m. The Redhawks recently swept the Lancers in Riverside, but a win against the Texans could be what the Lancers need to jumpstart them into a revenge game against SU. Win or lose, the Lancers will play at least once more after that, either against the top-seed Utah Tech Trailblazers if the Lancers defeat Seattle U or in the consolation bracket against the loser of Sam Houston/UT Arlington and SFA.
All games will stream on ESPN+ and have free live stats beginning with the first pitch.
