The No. 5 Temple College softball team continues their 2026 North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference schedule on Wednesday as they host Ranger College in doubleheader play.

Game times at the Danny Scott Sports Complex are slated for 1 pm and 3 pm. 

In the series, Temple has taken the last 19 games by a total of 234-29. The last game the Rangers won in the series was April 21, 2021, which was a 4-2 decision in Ranger.

In 2025, the Leopards swept the four-game series from Ranger by a total of 59-5. TC outhit the Rangers 60-13 in the series.

Through 36 games, Temple (31-5 overall, 11-1 NTJCAC) is hitting .393 with an on-base percentage of .464 and slugging percentage of .632. The Leopards have homered 39 times, driven in 274 runs, scored 309 times on 376 hits, 68 doubles, 22 triples, have walked 116 times and have stolen 141 bases.

Lexi Dudeczka (.487 BA, .547 OBP, HR, 24 RBI, 19 SB, 17 walks), Reese Cottrell (.472 BA, .535 OBP, nine HR, 49 RBI, 18 walks, 16 doubles),  Izzy Garcia (.444 BA, .490 OBP, three HR, 17 RBI), Jasmine Benavidez (.436 BA, .523 OBP, seven HR, 46 RBI, six triples, 17 SB, 16 walks), Brooklyn Walton (.425 BA, .461 OBP, HR, 15 RBI, 17 SB), Kaiyah Ratu (.388 BA, .481 OBP, seven HR, 26 RBI, 12 walks), and Marli Kennedy (.351 BA, .407 OBP, two HR, 19 RBI, 25 SB) are amongst the key contributors in the Temple offense.

Through 44 games, Ranger has hit .268 with 14 homers and batted in 138. The Rangers have scored 163 runs on 274 hits, 40 doubles, 14 triples, have walked 82 times, and stolen 69 bases.

Emilee McKee (.363 BA, .423 OBP, 11 RBI, 28 SB), Daniela Ramirez (.329 BA, .380 OBP, four HR, 12 RBI) and Erica Baker (.325 BA, .362 OBP, five homers, 32 RBI) are amongst the offensive leaders for the Rangers.

Defensively, the Leopards leads the country in fewest errors with 18 in 834 total chances (.978 fielding percentage, first nationally), while the Rangers have committed 108 errors in 1,014 total chances (.893 fielding percentage).

In pitching, Ranger has a team earned run average of 6.79 and have 13 complete games in 241 1/3 innings pitched. They have allowed 366 runs (234 earned) on 417 hits, struck out 109 batters, have walked 104 and hit 18 batters. Teams hit .348 against Rangers pitching.

Alexia Cowan (5-11, 5.07 ERA, 96 2/3 IP, 98 runs allowed, 70 earned, 142 hits, struck out 53, waled 24), Marisela Blood (3-8, 7.10 ERA, 47 1/3 IP, 89 runs allowed, 44 earned, 101 hits, walked 18, struck out five), and Hannah Rogers (1-12, 7.11 ERA, 85 2/3 IP, 140 runs allowed, 87 earned, 145 hits, walked 52, and walked 49) have carried Rangers' workload in the circle.

Temple has a team ERA of 2.71 with 12 shutouts, and 12 complete games in 204 innings pitched. The Leopards have allowed 92 runs (79 earned) on 150 hits, struck out 200 hitters, walked 76, and hit 13 batters. Teams hit just .191 against the Leopards staff.

Garcia (13-1, 2.23 ERA, 6 CG, 84 2/3 IP, 33 runs allowed, 27 earned on 50 hits, struck out 100, walked 27), Kat Kram (10-2, 2.75 ERA, 61 IP, 29 runs allowed, 24 earned on 46 hits, struck out 74, walked 23), and Cottrell (6-2, 2.66 ERA, 47 1/3 IP, allowed 21 runs, 18 earned on 34 hits, struck out 31 and walked 20) carry the workload for the Temple staff.

Following the Wednesday doubleheader, the series will conclude Thursday with a doubleheader at Ranger College.

Ratu nabs NTJCAC Player of the Week honors

Freshman catcher/infielder Kaiyah Ratu was awarded North Junior Texas Junior College Position Player of the Week honors on Friday.

Ratu, a native of Christchurch, New Zealand, hit .636 last week, drilled two doubles, two homers, and drove in nine runs. Ratu also scored six runs, drew four walks, and stole a base.

Ratu joined Lexi Dudeczka, Jasmine Benavidez, and Reese Cottrell as NTJCAC Position Player of the Week. Izzy Garcia has been honored three times as NTJCAC Pitcher of the Week.