MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas softball is preparing to bounce back from a tough weekend series with Arkansas Tech as they are set to host conference-leading Arkansas-Monticello in a GAC doubleheader on Wednesday, March 25, at Lady Mulerider Field in Magnolia.
 
Wednesday's doubleheader will be the first half of the four game series, with the final two games scheduled to be played on Tuesday, April 7, at Monticello.
 
UAM enters Wednesday's twin bill as the top team in the Great American Conference standings. The Cotton Blossoms (16-5, 8-2 GAC) own the second best team ERA in the conference with a mark of 3.57. Responsible for UAM's success in the circle are McKenzie Ashby and Katie Slaughter. Ashby leads the team with the second-best ERA in the GAC at 2.33, to go with a 4-2 record, while Slaughter's eight wins are the second most in the conference.
 
At the plate, Arkansas-Monticello is hitting .301 as a team led by Kali Piha's .406 mark, while seven other Cotton Blossoms are batting .300 or better. Holly Wilmarth leads the team in hits (29), RBIs (19), runs scored (20) and homeruns (4).
 
For the Lady Muleriders offensively, Ashton Atwell leads the team with a .391 batting average. The junior from Rockwall, Texas, leads Southern Arkansas in seven offensive categories including hits (34), homeruns (10) and RBIs (29). Atwell's ten homers are tops in the conference and she also boasts the third highest slugging percentage in the GAC (.805). Five other Lady Muleriders are swinging .300 or better, while five have drawn ten or more walks led by Maddie Dow's conference-leading 21.
 
In the circle, SAU delivers by committee as three Lady Muleriders have started the team's 25 games. Jami Godwin paces the staff with a 2.73 ERA, while Miranda Cuff leads SAU with 5 wins and four complete games. Chancy Williams owns a team-leading 21 strikeouts, while holding opponent bats to a staff-best .275 average.
 
First pitch for tomorrow's Great American Conference matchup is set for 2 p.m., as the Lady Muleriders continue their tough spring break slate that will conclude on Saturday, March 28, and Sunday, March 29 with a four game set against Southeastern Oklahoma State.