No. 1 Lady Buffs drop pair to UT-Tyler softball

NCAA Division II defending national champions sweep West Texas A&M in Lone Star Conference action

Apr. 2, 2026 at 7:05pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the action and energy of a high-level softball game, with the competing teams' colors and player forms broken down into abstract shapes and planes.A cubist interpretation of the intense rivalry and high-stakes matchup between the top-ranked Lady Buffs and the defending national champion Patriots on the softball diamond.Plainview Today

The University of Texas-Tyler Patriots swept the No. 1 ranked West Texas A&M Lady Buffs in a Lone Star Conference softball doubleheader, winning 13-5 and 2-0. The Patriots, the defending NCAA Division II national champions, improved to 29-8 on the season, while the Lady Buffs dropped to 31-4 overall.

Why it matters

This series loss is a significant setback for the highly-ranked Lady Buffs, who were looking to maintain their dominance in the Lone Star Conference. The Patriots have proven to be a formidable opponent for WT, exposing some weaknesses in their game that the Lady Buffs will need to address as they look to bounce back and defend their own national title aspirations.

The details

In the first game, UT-Tyler jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but the Lady Buffs responded with a grand slam from Brooke Janning to tie it at 4-4. However, the Patriots pulled away late, scoring six unanswered runs to win 13-5. In the second game, UT-Tyler pitcher Kendall Selitzky threw a shutout, leading her team to a 2-0 victory and the series sweep.

  • The doubleheader took place on Wednesday, April 2, 2026.
  • The Lady Buffs hosted Texas Woman's University in a doubleheader on Friday, April 4, 2026.

The players

University of Texas-Tyler Patriots

The NCAA Division II defending national champions in softball.

West Texas A&M Lady Buffs

The No. 1 ranked NCAA Division II softball team, who suffered this series sweep.

Brooke Janning

A freshman pitcher for the Lady Buffs who hit a grand slam in the first game.

Kendall Selitzky

The UT-Tyler pitcher who threw a shutout in the second game of the doubleheader.

Laci Peskey

The Lady Buffs pitcher who took the loss in the second game.

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What’s next

The Lady Buffs will look to bounce back when they host Texas Woman's University in a doubleheader on Friday, April 4, 2026.

The takeaway

This series sweep by the defending national champion UT-Tyler Patriots highlights the competitive nature of NCAA Division II softball and the challenges the top-ranked Lady Buffs will face in their quest to defend their own national title. The Lady Buffs will need to regroup and address the weaknesses exposed by this loss to UT-Tyler as they prepare for the rest of their conference schedule and the postseason.