MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas Softball team travels to Monticello today for the first half of a four-game Great American Conference series beginning with a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Arkansas-Monticello as part of the league's "Rivalry Tuesday" matchups. On April 12, the two teams will convene in Magnolia for a second-half of the series with a first-pitch time for 4 p.m.
Tuesday's clash will feature a pair of twenty-win, top-five teams in the Lady Muleriders (26-3, 18-3 GAC) and the Blossoms (21-13, 16-8 GAC). SAU currently sits in second place in the league standings; one-game back of Arkansas Tech in the loss column, while UAM remains in the hunt for a top-three finish in the GAC. Due to game/series cancellations this spring, the conference standings will be decided by each team's winning percentage against league opponents.
Southern Arkansas took three of four from UAM last year in the same "home and home doubleheader" format by a combined score of 14-8, while splitting the DH in Monticello. During their tenure in the GAC, Southern Arkansas is 7-11 overall against the Blossoms and 2-6 in Monticello.
Arkansas-Monticello enters Tuesday's matchup on a four-game winning streak and carries an unblemished 12-0 home record. For SAU, the program has one two-straight games after a tough 3-1 home series win against Henderson State and has a 7-2 road record this spring.
The Lady Muleriders own league bests in batting average (.346), team-ERA (1.29), and fielding percentage (.969), while UAM ranks fifth in batting average (.280), fourth in team-ERA (3.28) and sixth in fielding percentage (.957).
Seven Lady Muleriders are hitting .333 or better with a trio of players swinging at a clip of .395 or higher led by
Brooke Goad (.425),
Darian Harris (.400) and
Taylor Guin (.395). Goad paces Southern Arkansas in hits (37), runs (37), home runs (15), walks (23), slugging percentage (1.012) and on-base percentage (.545). Harris is the team-leader in doubles (9) and RBI (32), while Guin's production places her in the top-five in most offensive categories.
In the circle,
Kimmy Beasley (14-0) and
Kaylee Garner (12-3) have dominated to this point in the season as the duo allows their opponents to hit a combined .170, while boasting a collective ERA of 1.25. Beasley is the team-leader in innings pitched (90.2), and strikeouts (116), while Garner leads SAU in ERA (1.18) and opponent batting average (.158).
Four Blossoms are batting over .300 led by McKenzie Rice's .383 average. Rice is the team-leader in runs scored (33), doubles (6), home runs (10), walks (12), slugging percentage (.720) and on-base percentage (.472). Holly Wilmarth is second in average at .375 and leads UAM in hits (42) and RBI (27).
Elizabeth Delafield (7-4) and Kendra Coleman (9-7) pace Arkansas-Monticello's pitching staff with a combined record of 16-11 and a combined ERA of 3.21. Delafield has logged five complete games with 23 strikeouts in 69.2 innings of work. Coleman, the reigning Great American Conference Pitcher of the Week, has 10 complete games, 96 strikeouts and opponents are hitting just .204 in 96.1 innings of work.
Live stats for Tuesday's doubleheader are available here:
http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=uam. And live video will also be provided:
http://uamsports.com/watch/?Live=143.
Be sure to check
www.MuleriderAthletics.com or follow us on Twitter @MuleriderSports for the most up-to-date news on Lady Mulerider Softball.
