LEADING OFF
Due to unplayable field conditions at Dawson Field as a result of previous rainfall over the last week and forecasted rain chances in the Magnolia area on Sunday, the home GAC series between Southern Arkansas and Oklahoma Baptist has been moved to the campus of Oklahoma Baptist. The date and times of the series will remain the same with the opening doubleheader being played at 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday's twin-bill beginning at 1 p.m.
    
No. 12 Southern Arkansas (12-2) enters the weekend having won all eight games played against the Lady Bison since OKBU's softball program first joined the GAC in 2016.
  
Powering the hot start to the season for the Lady Muleriders is an offense that leads the GAC in on-base percentage (.422) and slugging percentage (.639), which also ranks second in the nation. Additionally, the SAU bats own top five marks in nine other offensive categories including runs scored, hits, RBI, walks, and home runs. The team's 29 dingers leads the league and its per game home run average of 2.07 is the top mark in the nation.
    
In the circle, the Lady Muleriders own the league's second-lowest team-ERA at 1.72 and the second-lowest opponent batting average at .208. As a staff, SAU has struck out 75 batters, ranking them second in the league in that category, and has allowed the second-fewest hits, runs, walks and earned runs in the GAC.
    
Oklahoma Baptist heads into conference play at 4-8 overall and owns a team slash of .275/.377/.346. The Lady Bison's batting average ranks sixth in the conference and the team's 89 hits are also the sixth-most in the league. 
    
The Lady Bison pitching staff, through 12 games, holds a 4.59 team-ERA with 38 strikeouts and has allowed 63 runs in 79.1 innings pitched. Defensively, Oklahoma Baptist ranks ninth in the GAC in fielding percentage at .956 and ranks fourth in assists (109).
    
Live Coverage links of the weekend will be available for the four-game series on www.MuleriderAthletics.com/coverage.aspx