Softball 3/5/2021 7:00:00 AM

Spirit Blaze Into Texas Riding Four-Game Win Streak

OUAZ SPIRIT (4-7) at TEXAS WESLEYAN (2-2, 2-2 SAC)
Game Details	Friday, March 5 (DH) • Noon (Arizona) • Fort Worth, Texas • Sycamore Park Saturday, March 6 (DH) • Noon (Arizona) • Fort Worth, Texas • Sycamore Park
Live Stats	ramsports.net/sidearmstats/softball/summary

After exactly a month off, the OUAZ softball team will take the field for a four-game series against Texas Wesleyan beginning Friday. Last time the Spirit were in the Lone Star state, they turned a 0-7 start to the season into the current four-game winning streak the group is riding.

Janessa Rivera found her game in Texas, racking up 11 RBI in the final two days at the OLLU Nationwide Classic back in February. Her six RBI game against Houston-Victoria was the most runs batted in a single-game in program history, and her five RBI performance the next morning against Bellevue tied the second-best effort in school history. Her 11 batted in over those games is the best two-game stretch ever at OUAZ.

The Heart of Texas was very kind to Mashayla Beltran, as she had at least in each of the five games, and four of those were multi-hit efforts. The five game hitting streak has seen Beltran double, triple, and homer, plus drive in two runs. Even if Beltran is not getting on via the hit, she is finding other ways to blaze the basepaths. Her six walks and a hit by pitch have helped inflate her on-base percentage to .500.

Andraya Rhinehart started the season off with a seven-game hitting streak, and had four knocks in the last trip to Texas. She had two RBI on March 6 against Houston-Victoria, and racked up her first extra-base hit of the season against Bellevue. Rhinehart leads the team in at-bats, and is only one of two Spirit members to start and play in each of the 11 games this season.

Briana Tucker is playing well on both sides of the ball, getting a hit in three of her last four games. Tucker hit the go-ahead two-run home run in OUAZ's 2-1 win over Houston-Victoria on March 5. She has been getting it done defensively as well, maintaining a perfect fielding percentage in 48 chances, and going 2-5 on throwing out baserunners.

Alexandra McCutcheon has been exceptional in her last 8.1 innings pitched. She has struck out 11 batters in that time, and has given up one earned run or less in her last five appearances. Her most recent trip to the circle saw her allow no hits and strike out four to get OUAZ's current win streak to four.

Live stats for all four games against Texas Wesleyan can be found at ramsports.net/sidearmstats/softball/summary. As of Friday morning, the games are not scheduled to be streamed. Make sure to stay tuned to ouazspirit.com and @OUAZSpirit on Twitter for the most recent updates on this weekend's series.

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Players Mentioned

#22 Mashayla Beltran: INF; 5' 2"; Sophomore; R/R

#18 Alexandra McCutcheon: RHP; 5' 9"; Junior; R/R

#1 Andraya Rhinehart: INF; 5' 5"; Sophomore; R/R

#21 Briana Tucker: C; 5' 3"; Junior; R/R

#00 Janessa Rivera: INF; 5' 8"; Senior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#22 Mashayla Beltran
: 5' 2"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#18 Alexandra McCutcheon
: 5' 9"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

#1 Andraya Rhinehart
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#21 Briana Tucker
: 5' 3"; Junior; R/R
: C

#00 Janessa Rivera
: 5' 8"; Senior; R/R
: INF