EL PASO, Texas – UTEP Softball returns home for a pivotal Conference USA matchup, hosting FIU for a three-game series at Helen of Troy Field from April 17–19.
Due to forecasted weather in El Paso, game times have been adjusted: Thursday's opener is now set for 4 p.m. MT, while Friday's contest will begin at 11 a.m. MT. Saturday's finale remains scheduled for 11 a.m. MT, with a postgame Easter egg hunt for kids ages 0–12 to follow.
Ticket Information
Single-game tickets for UTEP Softball are available for $8. Fans can secure their seats by visiting www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets or at the gate on game day.
Schedule (MT)
| DATE |
TIME |
MATCHUP |
PROMO |
| THUR. April 17 |
4 PM |
UTEP vs. FIU |
White Out |
| FRI. April 18 |
11 AM |
UTEP vs. FIU |
White Out |
| SAT. April 19 |
11 AM |
UTEP vs. FIU |
Post-Game Easter Egg Hunt |
| Coverage: ESPN+ | Live Stats |
The Leadoff Report
Miners at the Plate
The Miners (16-24, 5-13 CUSA) are looking to keep their momentum going behind one of the league's most explosive offenses.
UTEP leads Conference USA in double plays turned with 24, a mark that ranks seventh nationally, and averages 0.60 double plays per game. The team also sits second in the conference in triples with 11 and third in batting average (.307), doubles per game (1.53), and slugging percentage (.499), ranking among the top 70 in the nation in all three categories.
Senior third baseman Ajia Richard has been nothing short of dominant, leading the league in batting average at .482, good for eighth in the NCAA. She ranks second in the conference in on-base percentage (.572) and is third in both hits (55) and slugging percentage (.807).
On the defensive side, shortstop Madi Mendoza has been a steady presence, pacing the conference in assists per game (2.28) and sacrifice flies (4). She also ranks second in total assists with 91. Mendoza leads the team in both categories and continues to set the tone in the middle infield.
In the Circle
The Miners have deployed a five-player rotation in the circle, led by Taja Felder with 15 starts and 21 appearances. Serenity Jacoway has thrown a team-high 72.1 innings and owns five of UTEP's 14 complete games. As a staff, the Miners have recorded 99 strikeouts and 138 walks with a 4.73 ERA.
Conference USA Weekly Honors
Richard was named Conference USA Player of the Week on April 7 following an eye-popping performance in UTEP's series sweep over New Mexico State. She hit .818 (9-for-11) across the three games, adding three doubles, one RBI and eleven total bases, while posting a 1.000 slugging percentage and an .833 on-base percentage. She was perfect at the plate in back-to-back games and flawless defensively, notching nine putouts and three assists. The honor marked her second Player of the Week award this season, making her the first Miner since 2012 to collect multiple weekly honors in a single campaign. Her first came on February 17, when she hit .857 with six home runs and 10 RBIs over a five-game weekend at the Dr. Diana Natalicio Memorial Tournament, including a three-homer performance against Manhattan that tied a conference record.
Freshman Marissa Burchard has also emerged as a key contributor. She earned Conference USA Freshman of the Week on March 24 after hitting .545 in UTEP's first-ever series win over WKU. She went 6-for-11 with a .727 slugging percentage and a .583 on-base percentage, including a game-tying RBI triple in the opener that helped spark a 5-4 walk-off victory. Burchard has been especially effective against conference pitching, hitting .406 with a team-high 13 hits in nine league games.
National Recognition
Richard's outstanding season has drawn national attention. She has been ranked among the top third basemen in the country by both D1Softball and Softball America. D1Softball listed her as the No. 10 third baseman through weeks 4, 6, and 8 of the season, while Softball America ranked her No. 7 at the start of March and No. 15 heading into April.
Scouting FIU
- FIU enters the weekend with a 29-14 record, including an 11-7 mark in CUSA play.
- The Panthers are hitting .292 as a team with a .370 slugging percentage and .373 on-base clip. They've totaled 340 hits on the year, including 36 doubles, and have been highly aggressive on the basepaths, going 114-for-130 in stolen base attempts.
- Leading the charge is Kally Meredith, who is batting .366 with 56 hits, 36 runs scored and 38 steals in 40 tries.
- In the circle, Kennedy Byrd has been the workhorse with a 3.82 ERA and an 11-8 record. She tossed 132 innings across 25 appearances, including 18 starts and 11 complete games.
- UTEP leads the all-time series with FIU, 10-6. The Miners dominated the early matchups, winning the first eight meetings from 2015 to 2019. However, FIU has had the edge more recently, claiming six of the last ten.
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.
