MARSHALL, Texas— A new season starts for East Texas Baptist University as they open the 2026 softball season at home on Saturday, hosting Austin College in a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. at Jason Bell Park at Taylor Field. The Valor Gals return as one of the top programs in NCAA Division III, coming off another NCAA Regional and American Southwest Conference Championship in 2025, and are ranked No. 9 in the preseason National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) preseason poll.

ETBU enters the year after finishing 43-5 overall and 15-1 in the ASC last season while capturing both the ASC regular-season title and the ASC Tournament Championship. The Tigers hosted the ASC Tournament defeating LeTourneau 2-0 in the championship game to claim the conference's automatic bid. The Tigers also hosted the NCAA Regionals and Super Regionals, defeating Marymount and No 3. Seeded St. Thomas Houston for the regional championship. The Valor Gals return 11 student-athletes from the 2025 season.
Here are the game notes for this weekend's matchup.
 

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Familiar Foe
The No. 9 Tigers will open the 2026 season against Austin College in a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. in Marshall, Texas. ETBU has a perfect 14-0 record against the former ASC foe. The Valor Gals are averaging 10 runs per game against the Roo's. Last season, they put up 21 runs in their two meetings including a phenomenal performance from Hannah Benavides who pitched a five-inning perfect game with six strikeouts and nine forced outs, facing 15 batters. 

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Championship Standard
Under head coach Janae Shirley, ETBU has built one of the most consistent programs in NCAA Division III. Shirley recorded her 600th career win during the 2025 season and continues to lead the Tigers into every season as a national contender. The Valor Gals have been an NCAA Regional host site every year since 2019, excluding the 2020 COVID-abbreviated season. ETBU has made the NCAA Tournament for 12 consecutive years, starting in 2013, and has won four Regional Tournament Championships, two Super Regional Championships, and one National Championship.
 

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Securing the Hill 
The Valor Gals boast a perfect 64-0 regular-season home record dating back to the 2023 season. Including postseason games hosted in Marshall, ETBU is 84-5 at Bell Park at Taylor Field since 2023. The Tigers are close to breaking 100 home wins since 2021, as they are 95-4 on the Hill during the regular season. 
 

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Top of Conference 
The Tigers are 37-2 in conference play in the previous two seasons and have not lost a series in ASC play since 2023. They have won the last three American Southwest Conference Tournament Championships and been the ASC Coaching Staff of the Year the previous two seasons. Last season, the Valor Gals recorded 12 All-ASC players: six on the first team, three on the second team, and three on the third team. They also earned ASC Player of the Week honors 14 times during the 2025 season. 
 

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Team 29
ETBU brings back 11 Student-Athletes from last season, including six upperclassmen. The Valor Girls also welcome several newcomers in 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.

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). 

Mallory Pyle returns as the lone senior for the Valor Girls. 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.

Holland is a returning All-American as an NFCA Honorable Mention member last year as a pitcher. She was also an NFCA All-Region First Team. Jones (Second Team) and Morales (First Team) were also NFCA All-Region. In the ASC, Jones, Morales, and Holland were on the First Team while Pyle and Rodriguez were on the Second Team.
 

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On the Air 
The Tigers will face Austin College at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. in Marshall, Texas. The game will stream on the ETBU+ Sports Network and is linked here. 
 

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