BY PHIL HICKS, phicks@tylerpaper.com

It’s a busy weekend on the baseball and softball diamonds at UT Tyler.

The Patriot softball team opens American Southwest Conference play at Suddenlink Field, while the Patriot baseball team hosts the annual Clements Fluids Classic at Irwin Field.

Softball

The Patriots are 2-0 on the season and host Sul Ross State in the ASC opening series.

The game times have been changed for today with the first contest starting at 3:30 p.m., followed by the second game at approximately 5:30 p.m.

Saturday’s game is scheduled for noon.

It is the season-opening series for Sul Ross.

 

Batten, Rodriguez honored

UT Tyler softball swept the American Southwest Conference Pitcher and Hitter of the Week honors as Kelsie Batten and Raven Rodriguez were tabbed with the awards.

Batten, a junior pitcher from Huntington, was 1-0 record while striking out six in a 3-1 win against Texas Lutheran. She registered a complete-game, holding batters to a .185 average while allowing only four walks.

Rodriguez, a junior from Houston, led the Patriots, hitting .833 in six at-bats while blasting a home run and adding four RBI. She had five hits in the DH.

 

Baseball

The Seventh Annual Clements Fluids Classic has five games in three days. The Patriots will host Louisiana College, Texas Lutheran and Trinity for one of NCAA Division III’s premiere baseball showcases.

The tournament is sponsored by Clements Fluids and long-time UT Tyler supporters Mike and Donna Clements. The Clements’ daughter, Megan, and son-in-law Chase (former pitcher for the Patriots) are also UT Tyler graduates.

The weekend begins on Friday as Louisiana College (1-1) and Texas Lutheran (3-0) take the field at 4 p.m., followed by UT Tyler (0-3) and TLU at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday will feature a 1 p.m. matchup between No. 16 Trinity (3-0) and Louisiana College, while the Patriots and Texas Lutheran will once again face off at 7 p.m.

UT Tyler will then close out the weekend with a matchup against Trinity at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

The Patriots are looking to pick up their first win of the season after starting the year with the first three games on the road.

Reid Coover has started strong, leading the team with a .500 batting average (7 for 14).

Since 2009, Mike Clements and his family have sponsored the Clements Fluids Classic, giving numerous student-athletes a chance to play on one of the top NCAA Division III baseball fields in the nation.

 

McCoy honored

UT Tyler baseball senior Buddy McCoy has been named the American Southwest Conference Hitter of the Week.

McCoy, a senior from Haughton, Louisiana, hit .385 over the course of three games to start the season, finishing with five hits and two doubles.

The outfielder also finished the week with one home run and an eye-popping eight RBIs. McCoy has scored three runs and leads the team in slugging at .769.

 

King earns award

Senior Brittany King has been tabbed as the American Southwest Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week.

King, a forward from Mesquite, helped lead the Patriots to a perfect 2-0 week, defeating Sul Ross 88-42 and Howard Payne 73-44.

For the week, King averaged 18.5 points, and went an impressive 15 for 19 from the field and 7 for 8 from the free throw line.

On the year, King ranks third in the ASC in scoring with 15.8 points per game, and second in rebounding with 9.0 rebounds per contest.

 

Top Netters

UT Tyler senior Harry Kelleher was named the ASC Men’s East Division Tennis Player of the Week, while senior Jennifer Payne was tabbed the ASC Women’s East Division Player of the Week.

Kelleher, who hails from Sydney, Australia, started the season in perfect fashion, winning 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2 singles against Texas Lutheran, while winning 8-1 in doubles with Cameron Crim.

The senior also won his matchup at No. 3 singles against NCAA Division II opponent Midwestern State, defeating Ramon Toyos 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 on Monday.

Payne, from Amarillo, was perfect in the only match the Patriots have played this season, going 2-0 in singles and doubles action against Texas Lutheran.

At No. 3 singles, Payne defeated Caitlin Zarr 6-0, 6-0, and teamed-up with Sarah Moses to win 8-0 at No. 2 doubles against the Bulldogs.

The Patriots are on their annual California swing. The men face Whitman College at noon today.