SAN ANGELO, Texas – The No. 8 Angelo State softball team has won 17 of its last 18 games, and look to carry its momentum to Austin for a nonconference doubleheader against St. Edward's at Diane Daniels Field on Tuesday beginning at 1 p.m.
 
“St. Edward's is always a tough place for us to go and play,” Angelo State head coach Travis Scott said. “I can't tell you the last time we swept St. Edward's at its place, so we know we got a dog fight ahead of us.”
 
The Rambelles (17-3) are coming off a series sweep of Cameron this past weekend, where they outscored the Aggies 23-3. As a team, the Belles are hitting .363 this season, with Elsamartina Apo (.480), Kacie Easley (.457), April Breshears (.442) and DeeshanaLynn Tafiti (.438) all hitting above .400.
 
Mary Kate McKay (8-1) and Claire Molina (9-2) are the Belles' top pitchers. McKay boasts a 2.26 earned run average and has struck out 65 in 63.2 innings pitched. Molina – a hard-throwing lefty – has a team high nine wins with a 3.88 ERA.
 
 “We're in a good groove right now so hopefully we can put some runs on the board,” Scott said. “The girls are taking good at bats and our starting pitching has been really solid.”
 
St. Edward's is led by first-year head coach Lindsay Gardner who has guided the Hilltoppers to an 11-8 record this season. Junior outfielder Marissa Thome leads SEU's offensive attack with a .432 average and eight RBIs, while Sara DeBrow and Paige Sandahl are the Hilltoppers top pitchers. DeBrow is 5-3 on the season with a 2.23 ERA, and Sandahl has a 6-3 record with a 2.60 ERA.
 
Angelo State holds a 29-11 all-time series edge over St. Edward's, going 4-1 against the Hilltoppers a year ago. Their last meeting was a doubleheader in Austin on April 12, where the teams split. ASU lost Game 1, 10-2, before earning a 5-3 victory in Game 2.