EL PASO - The UTEP softball team is gearing up to host a three-game series against Jacksonville State at Helen of Troy Field from March 28-30. 

 Tickets   
Tickets are $8 and can be purchased through the Eisenberg Family Ticket Office by calling (915) 747-UTEP, emailing tickets@utep.edu, visiting www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets or in person at 201 Glory Road (Brumbelow Building, UTEP Campus), Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.    

 Schedule     
Mar. 28 at 6pm | Live Stats | ESPN+   
Mar. 29 at 3pm | Live Stats | ESPN+   
Mar. 30 at 11am | Live Stats | ESPN+ | GECU Easter Egg Hunt 
^All Times Mountain Daylight  

Join us this Saturday for the Miners Kids Club Easter Egg Hunt presented by GECU, taking place post-game on the softball field and open to all kids 12 and under. 

 Leading Off    

• UTEP leads Conference USA in doubles per game (1.88), doubles (49), and slugging percentage (0.476). The Miners' doubles per game ranks 10th in the nation. 
• UTEP has batted .298 through 26 games paced by three players who are batting at or above the mark who all have 55-plus plate appearances (Ajia Richard, Bri Garcia, and Lexi Morales). Richard leads the way with a slash line of .412/.457/.788 on 35 hits that include 12 doubles, one triple, and six home runs. Richard leads the conference in doubles (12), doubles per game (0.46), and runs per game (0.85).    
• Five Miners have double-digit RBIs on the season as Richard leads the way with 28.    
• Ten players, including Richard who accounts for six, contributed to UTEP's total of 21 home runs. Richard and Kenna Collett have each hit one out of the park for a grand slam this season.    
• The UTEP pitching staff holds a 3.54 ERA. Faith Aragon leads the conference in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.82) and walks allowed per seven innings (1.09). Aragon and Taja Felder are both tied for third in the league with eight victories. 
• As Zaylie Calderon leads the conference, she shares the top spot nationally with six saves, a position she holds alongside Missouri's Taylor Pannell and FGCU's Angelina Bonilla. Her six saves are tied for sixth in the league's single season history and her 10 career saves are tied for seventh in conference history.

 In The CUSA Spotlight    
Week 5 POW – Ajia Richard   
Richard hit 4-10 and posted a slash line of .400/.455/.900 in a series victory over MTSU. She contributed significantly with two runs, two doubles, a home run, and 5 RBI. Richard opened the weekend with a solo shot to get the scoring underway on Friday and followed it up with a two-run single in her first at-bat Saturday that gave the Miners (16-6, 2-1 CUSA) the lead for good. She capped the weekend with a pair of RBI doubles in the series finale.  

Week 2 POW – Bri Garcia   
Garcia had an impressive week for the Miners (10-2), who achieved a commendable 6-1 record. She started all seven games at second base and went 8-17 at the plate, resulting in a slash line of .471/.550/.882. Garcia drove in 10 runs, crossed the plate seven times and delivered key hits, including a pair of doubles and home runs. Her defensive performance was equally outstanding with nine putouts and 13 assists for a flawless 1.000 fielding percentage. Garcia's exceptional week earned her a spot on the UTEP Invitational All-Tournament Team.  

 By The Numbers     
Nationally, UTEP ranks in the top-50 in three categories.        
10. Doubles per Game (1.88) * 
29. Doubles (49) * 
49. Slugging Percentage (0.479) * 
*Conference USA Leader     

UTEP has six players nationally ranked in the top-100.        

*Conference USA Leader        

 The Opponent     
Jacksonville State  

• Jax State brings a 12-20 (2-4 CUSA) record and is riding a two-game winning streak.   
• The Gamecocks are hitting .259 and have a total ERA of 4.34.     
• Offensively, the team is led by Lindsey Richardson, who is hitting .337 with 34 RBI on 33 hits and recorded three doubles, a triple, and eight home runs.   
• Jaliyah Holmes leads the pitching staff with a 4.02 ERA. She has seen eight starts with 13 appearances in the circle and has thrown two complete games.   
• Megan Rasmussen earned the team's first league award as she was recently named Freshman of the Week. After missing the first 28 games of the year, Rasmussen made the most of her first collegiate starts, hitting 6-10 over the weekend to help the Gamecocks to a series victory over MTSU. 
• The Miners and Gamecocks have only faced each other once, in 2011 when JSU defeated UTEP 3-1 in Huntsville, Alabama.

Give a gift to UTEP Softball by donating to the Diamond Club.                    

For complete coverage of UTEP Softball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @utepsoftball (Instagram/Twitter) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.