MARSHALL, Texas — After sweeping a season-opening doubleheader against Austin College, the No. 9 East Texas Baptist University softball team will remain at home to face its first ranked opponent of the season, No. 14 Belhaven University. The teams last met in the National Championship Series in 2024 when ETBU won its second national title in program history.
Last week, the Tigers opened the season with two convincing wins over Austin College, 12-2 and 9-0. ETBU totaled 21 runs and 22 hits on 43 at-bats in the doubleheader. Defensively, the Tigers allowed only five hits and two runs, shutting out the Kangaroos in game two. ETBU posted a .512 batting average, while Austin College hit .139. The Tigers' bullpen recorded 15 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings, highlighted by freshman
Alexis Kemp, who struck out seven and allowed no runs in five innings to earn ASC Pitcher of the Week honors. Junior
Makayla Menchue had a career day with two home runs and a double that nearly cleared the wall. Menchue finished 4-for-4 with three runs and seven RBI.
ETBU enters the season after finishing 43-5 overall and 15-1 in American Southwest Conference play last year, capturing both the ASC regular-season and tournament titles. The Tigers hosted the ASC Tournament and beat LeTourneau 2-0 in the championship game to secure the conference's automatic NCAA bid. ETBU won the NCAA Regional Tournament with wins over Marymount and No. 3 seed St. Thomas and hosted the Super Regional.
Here are the game notes for this weekend's match up.
National Championship Rematch
The Tigers and Blazers have built a strong rivalry, last meeting in the 2024 NCAA Division III Softball National Championship at ETBU. Belhaven won the opener, 4-3, but ETBU bounced back with 8-2 and 9-5 wins to secure its second national title. In 2024, Belhaven was ranked No. 10 and ETBU was the No. 2. This year, Belhaven is ranked No. 14 and ETBU No. 9. The teams, former American Southwest Conference foes, have met 28 times since April 2005, with ETBU holding a 17-11 edge.
Top 25 Test
The Tigers are no strangers to ranked opponents. Last season, ETBU defeated five top-25 teams, including three in the top 10. The Tigers played 12 games against ranked opponents last season, including seven against top-10 teams.
Conference Standouts
After the opening week, ETBU swept the American Southwest Conference weekly awards, with
Makayla Menchue named Hitter of the Week and
Alexis Kemp earning Pitcher of the Week honors.
Menchue, a junior infielder from Hallsville, Texas, delivered a career-best performance with two home runs in an inning in game one and a double that nearly cleared the wall in game two. She went 4-for-4 at the plate on the day, scoring three runs and driving in seven RBI
Kemp, a freshman from Gilmer, Texas, earned the win in her first collegiate start with four scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out seven in a 9-0 win over Austin College.
Championship Standard
Under head coach
Janae Shirley, ETBU has become one of the most consistent programs in Division III. Shirley earned her 600th career win in 2025 and continues to lead the Tigers as national contenders. ETBU has hosted an NCAA regional every year since 2019, except for the COVID-abbreviated 2020 season. The Tigers have made 12 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances since 2013, winning four regional titles, two super regional titles and one national championship.
Securing the Hill
The Tigers have a perfect 66-0 regular-season home record dating to the 2023 season. Including postseason games hosted in Marshall, ETBU is 86-5 at home since 2023. Since 2021, the Tigers are 97-4 at home in the regular season.
Top of Conference
ETBU is 37-2 in conference play over the past two seasons and has not lost a series in ASC play since 2023. The Tigers have won three straight American Southwest Conference championships and earned ASC Coaching Staff of the Year the past two seasons. Last year, ETBU had 12 ASC All-Americans—six on the first team, three on the second team and three on the third team—and picked up 14 ASC Player of the Week awards.
Team 29
ETBU brings back 11 Student-Athletes from last season, including six upperclassmen. The Valor Girls also welcome some newcomers to the program, including 12 freshmen and two transfers.
Two of the Tigers' most experienced returning pitchers are
Avery Holland (29-3, 2.17 ERA, 127 strikeouts) and
McKenzie Jones (7-0, 2.79 ERA, 40 strikeouts). They have totaled more than 270 innings and 167 strikeouts.
Some offensive returners include
Izabella Morales (.408, 89 hits, 39 steals),
Katelynn Jones (.383 and 22 steals), and
Ava Rodriguez (Six home runs and 24 RBI).
Defensively, the Tigers bring back multiple players from the field who pose strong fielding percentages and contributed key putouts and assists.
Mallory Pyle returns as the only senior for the Valor Girls in 2026. Pyle has seen 184 at-bats in her three years with the program and recorded 53 runs with a .408 slugging percentage. Defensively The Utility Player has a .992 fielding percentage.
On the Air
The Tigers will face Belhaven at 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. in Marshall, Texas. The game will stream on the ETBU+ Sports Network; link is
here.
