For the first time since 2007, The Trinity Tigers Softball program will compete in the NCAA Regionals at Texas Lutheran University later this week.
Trinity (30-11-1) are the runners up of the 2026 SAA Conference tournament, falling short to Berry College in the final game. During the first two games, Hannah Boudreaux (Pearland, Texas / Shadow Creek) collected 3 hits and just as many RBI, contributing to the Tigers' 2 wins. Josephine Koelewyn (Reno, Nev. / Academy for Arts Careers and Technology) had a fantastic start to the tournament, putting up 3 hits and 7 RBI in just two games, including her monster grand slam against Rhodes College. In the same game, Koelewyn (16-6) collected another win in the circle, holding the Lynx scoreless in 2.1 innings pitched. Carsyn Lee (Flower Mound, Texas / Flower Mound) put up 5 hits and 2 RBI on the weekend, showing off her clutch abilities in high pressure situations. Hayden Del Toro (Cypress, Texas / Cy Young) also displayed her consistency, going 3 for 3 with 2 runs scored against Rhodes College. SAA Pitcher of the Year Megan Kriechbaum (Cedar Hills, Utah / Pleasant Grove) (12-5) picked up 7 strikeouts in 13.3 innings pitched. The Tigers' offense was hot the first two games, scoring 21 runs in just 11 innings. Unfortunately, Trinity couldn't seem to find their groove on the final day of the tournament.
Preview - Regional Showdown in Seguin
The Tigers will hit the road to a familiar site, Texas Lutheran University, to face Huntingdon College in the Tigers' first game of the NCAA Regional playoffs since 2007. They will compete against the Huntingdon Hawks on Thursday, May 14 at 1:30 PM CST. The other participants in this Regional include Texas Lutheran University (host) and Penn State Behrend, who will face off on Thursday at 11 AM CST. The remainder of the Tigers' tournament schedule will depend on the outcome of their first game against the Hawks, as well as the outcome of the game between TLU and Penn State Behrend.
On the Huntingdon Hawks: The Hawks (31-10) fell short in their conference finals, losing to Belhaven in a similar fashion as the Tigers. Huntingdon's offense is led by M. Hubbard, hitting .437 with 46 total hits. In the circle, the Tigers will likely face Allie Roberts, a junior with a 1.71 ERA in 110.1 innings pitched, as well as Addison Gaines, a sophomore with a 1.08 ERA in 88.1 innings pitched. Comparing Huntingdon's offensive statistics to those of Trinity, these two teams are rather similar. The Hawks have a team batting average of .345 and 385 total hits, while the Tigers have a .329 average and 360 total hits. Furthermore, Huntingdon has 61 doubles, while the Tigers have 60. Looking overall, the Hawks and Trinity's stats appear very alike, which should result in a competitive battle between the two teams on Thursday.
On the Penn State Behrend Lions: The Lions (28-11) came home with the 2026 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference title last weekend. Their lineup is led by Julia Jones, hitting .430 with 28 RBI. The Lions have a team average of .320 with 9 total homeruns this season. Penn State Behrend's pitching staff is sparse, led by Abby Tingley with a 2.79 ERA in 123.0 innings pitched. Jones is the Lions' other arm in the circle, with a 6.57 ERA in 43.2 innings pitched.
On the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs: The Bulldogs (38-4) have had another outstanding season, winning the regular season SCAC Conference title for the 12th time in program history. TLU has a team average of .394, led by Caelee Clark who's hitting .482 as well as Riley Davila, hitting .458. The Bulldogs have outhit their opponents 444-237 this season, and outscored them 353-73, showcasing their undeniable dominance at the plate. TLU's pitching staff is spearheaded by Katelyn Howard, withstanding a 0.75 ERA and collecting 83 strikeouts in 131 innings pitched. The staff is also equipped with Jordyn Joy and Jordyn Stuessy helping the Bulldogs keep a 1.64 team ERA.
On the Horizon
With a win, the Tigers will play on Friday, May 15 at 11 AM CST. With a loss, the Tigers will play on Friday following the 11 AM game.
