(RV) Softball set to host No. 1 OLLU for Free Ticket Weekend presented by Watermark Creative Ideas

Momentum has been building for the UHV softball team over the last week or so.

The Jaguars (11-7, 4-0) have won their last six and outscored their opponents 45-9 during that time.

Now, UHV will put its winning streak on the line in a Red River Athletic Conference doubleheader against No. 1-ranked and defending national champion Our Lady of the Lake (13-4, 4-0) at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Victoria Youth Sports Complex. Saturday is Free Ticket Weekend presented by Watermark Creative Ideas.

"I'm super excited," said head coach Lindsey Ortiz. "I feel like the players are bought in and they're getting better every series, and even diversifying their approach in a way. So, I think we have a lot of good options as far as our approach to OLLU and what we can do offensively to put ourselves in a position to win."

UHV extended its winning streak with a doubleheader sweep of RRAC foe Texas A&M-San Antonio on Tuesday, winning 1-0 and 8-3.

Pitching was once again a staple for UHV to sweep its Jaguar counterparts from San Antonio.

Audrie Sayas earned her third win of the season with a shutout and seven strikeouts to extend her scoreless innings streak to 16.1 in a row. Hope Quinones earned her team-leading sixth win in Game 2 on Tuesday, pushing her into the Top 10 in the NAIA.

Sayas and Quinones rank third and fourth in the conference for strikeouts with 41 and 34, respectively. Sayas ranks fourth in the RRAC for ERA with a 1.70 mark.

"I think Audrie had kind of a long journey to get here," Ortiz said. "To see her flourish here and grow into the pitcher I feel like she's always been meant to be despite everything she's had to overcome is great to see, personally. I love to see kids grow into big roles like that. But it's great for the team, too. She's put a lot of trust into them, and I think they're reciprocating that."

UHV's offense had to be versatile on Tuesday and show it could play small ball in addition to its hard-hitting nature seen many times this season.

Kaylle Lopez's squeeze bunt attempt in the fourth inning of Game 1 Tuesday produced the game's only run. She and Allison Snedeker both enter Saturday on a three-game hit streak while Claire Blinka has a team-leading nine-game hit streak.

The Jaguars have been really good offensively when leadoff hitters Kenzie Chambers and Jordan Jones get on base from the top two spots in the lineup.

UHV leads the NAIA in stolen bases with 58. The Jaguars are also in the Top 5 of all four-year universities – regardless of division – in that category, trailing Oregon (D1), Southeastern Louisiana (D1), North Carolina-Wilmington (D1) and Tusculum (D2).

Chambers leads the NAIA and is second among players at four-year universities with 22 stolen bases this season.

"When you have the tools, you should utilize them to their fullest extent," Ortiz said. "We have kids that are gritty and determined on the base path and are heads up. They want to push. We might run into an out every now and then, but it's really increased our offensive production and put us in some really good situations. I'm a fan of making the defense make a play, which OLLU can do. So, it's going to be a great matchup to see who comes out on top."