2023 Temple Leopards Softball

Games can be viewed live on ESPN+ and TSBN Sports

By Tony Adams, for Temple College

The Temple College Leopards Softball team (39-15, 21-11 NTJCAC) will begin its quest for a North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference (NTJCAC) Tournament Championship at 10 a.m. Thursday as they take on North Central Texas College (30-23, 14-18) at Bosque River Ballpark in Waco.

Viewers can watch the game live on ESPN+ or on the TSBN Sports website.

The Leopards finished fourth in the NTJCAC and NCTC finished fifth.

The winner of the Thursday morning game will return for a 4 p.m. game against Grayson College (43-7, 28-4), with the loser returning for a loser’s bracket game Friday at 1 p.m.

For a complete bracket and links to games, view the TSBN Sports 2023 NJCAA Region 5 North Softball Tournament schedule.

During the regular season, Temple and NCTC split their series 2-2.

On April 26, the Leopards took game one in Gainesville, 5-0. Shaylann Grace struck out seven and walked one over seven innings.

The Leopards dropped game two, 6-4. Grace and Kennan Nunamaker each homered. Lions’ hurler Raylea Parsons picked up the win, with Alexis Tanguma picking up the two-inning save.

In Temple, on April 29, the Leopards run-ruled NCTC in the opening game, 11-3 in five innings. Nunamaker had a double with three runs batted in and two hits, while Kate Moala and Aamyri Kennedy each chipped in two hits.

NCTC took the second game of the twin-bill, 7-5. Gabbi Smith went 3-for-4 and Tanguma batted in three runs.

The Leopards hit .388 as a team with a stellar .449 on-base percentage, 39 homers, 390 runs batted in, and 459 runs scored in 54 games.

Nunamaker leads the Leopards in batting average (.503), hits (95), runs (67), runs batted in (74), doubles (24), tied for first with Hannah Wiggins in triples (7), and is second in home runs (8), and on-base percentage (.541).

The Leopards’ staff earned run average was 3.21 in 333 1/3 innings, having allowed 153 earned runs, while having struck out 368 batted and walked 104.

Grace has been a force in and out of the circle for the Leopards. She is 18-3 in 32 appearances (14 starts) with a 2.41 earned run average, six complete games, had 137 strikeouts and has walked 21 in 125 innings. Grace hit .500 with 69 hits, a team-leading 18 home runs, on-base percentage of .575, and was second on the team with 66 runs batted in.

Lauren Tetreault led the Leopards in appearances (32) and starts (27), has a 16-9 record with a 2.60 ERA, a team-leading 180 strikeouts, eight complete games, five shutouts, and 48 walks in 29 innings pitched.

NCTC hit .323 as a team with a .401 on-base percentage, 32 home runs, 311 runs batted in, and scored 340 runs.

Smith led the team in hits (66), runs scored (60), and OBP (.481), was tied for first in triples (6) and home runs (6).

Parson and Lauryn Davies each have 62 hits on the season, with Parson carrying a .402 average and .475 OBP, and Davies batting .376 for the season with an OBP of .470.

The Lions’ staff ERA is 4.08, with 189 earned runs allowed in 324 1/3 innings, 169 strikeouts and 134 walks.

Tanguma (8-8, 3.19 ERA, seven complete games), Annie-Klein Allgood (7-1, 3.57 ERA), Parsons (6-5, 3.83 ERA), Maddie Strickling (506, 4.66 ERA), and Kennedy Schroeder (4-2, 5.46 ERA) divide the work in the circle.

The other first-round game will feature third-seeded Weatherford College (39-15, 21-11) against sixth-seeded Cisco College (31-25, 13-19) at 1 p.m. on Thursday.

The winner of that contest will take on second-seeded McLennan Community College (41-11, 27-5) on Thursday at 7 p.m., with the loser to take on the loser of the Grayson TC/NCTC game on Friday at 10 a.m.

ABOUT TEMPLE COLLEGE

Temple College is “Your Community’s College,” a dynamic and growing community college that equips thousands of Central Texas students with the knowledge and skills for 21st-century success. Temple College, which has campuses in Temple, Hutto and Taylor, offers more than 75 degree and certificate programs to students who seek to earn credits for transfer, graduate with an associate degree, or complete a certificate for fast entry into the workforce.

Founded in 1926, Temple College has enjoyed a reputation for academic excellence for 97 years. It is nationally recognized for its exceptional programs, from visual and performing arts to competitive athletics. The College has become one of the state’s premiere institutions for healthcare providers’ education and training, advanced manufacturing, and workforce development programs. The faculty and staff are committed to providing exceptional quality instruction.