Lady Tigers place six on All-SWAC softball team

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – After claiming their 10th consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference West Division title, the Lady Tigers of Texas Southern University placed six players on the league’s all-conference teams Tuesday.
 
Freshman pitcher Destiny Ricks was named to the All-SWAC First Team, while teammates Marissa Padron, Lauryn Banks, Ebony Wiltz, Zariah Robins, and Naomi Reyes earned Second Team honors.
 
Ricks, a freshman from Fresno, Calif., finished the regular season with a 7-4 record and a 2.89 ERA. She has won her last six starts and her last seven decisions after starting the season 0-4. Ricks’ 0.89 ERA against SWAC opponents led the league, and she held conference opponents to a .209 batting average.
 
Senior catcher Padron finished the regular season with a .337 batting average and a SWAC-leading 10 doubles. She hit .410 against SWAC opponents and had an on-base percentage of .511 in conference play.
 
After starting the season slowly, first baseman Banks was a force for the Lady Tigers in SWAC play. Though she only hit .238 for the season, she hit .367 and slugged .767 against conference opponents. All three of her home runs and 13 of her 16 RBIs came against league opponents.
 
Second baseman Wiltz helped shore up the TSU middle infield, and swung a solid bat during the season. She hit .333 for the season, raising her batting average to .371 against SWAC opponents.
 
An outfielder, Zariah Robins ranked ninth in the SWAC with a .361 batting average. She hit an astounding .609 during conference play. Robins also had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 25 defensive chances.
 
Reyes, another freshman pitcher, led the Lady Tigers with a 9-6 record and a 2.59 ERA during the season. She ranked third in the SWAC with 71 strikeouts, and went 8-0 against conference opponents.
 
The Lady Tigers open the SWAC Tournament on Wednesday when they face Jackson State.