RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Tech baseball team looks to keep its impressive run through the Great American Conference going as hit hits the road to face Arkansas-Monticello in a three-game conference series this weekend.

The Wonder Boys (17-12, 5-6 GAC) have gone 13-3 over their past 16 games, including taking six of their last eight conference games, taking two of three from Southeastern Oklahoma last weekend after sweeping East Central in a rain-shortened two-game series two weeks ago.

The Tech offense continues to power the team through its successful run, as the Wonder Boys bats are second in the GAC with a .298 team batting average, and are getting plenty of bang for their buck, leading the way with a .458 slugging percentage and 28 home runs. Coach Dave Dawson's crew has also scored a GAC-best 215 runs, an average of 7.4 per game. Keenan Jumper (.369), Bryan Heward (.364) and Patrick Castleberry (.360) all fall in the top 10 in the conference in batting average, while Castleberry's 30 runs and 10 home runs are tops in the league. Heward adds five homers and 32 RBIs, Cole Fergus is batting .345 with four home runs and 17 RBIs, and Kris Ayers adds a .309 average, four home runs, seven doubles and 23 RBIs.

On the mound, Tech's Cody Jones is 5-1 — the most wins in the league — and is eighth with 33 strikeouts. Relievers Bryson Morris, Ryan Vruggink and Nate Rutherford are all in the top seven in appearances, with 15, 13 and 12, respectively. Vruggink is 3-1 with a 3.94 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 16 innings of work. Starter Trent Armstrong is 2-1 with a 4.00 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 36 innings, while Geofferey Birkemeier is 3-1 with 20 strikeouts in 32 innings.

The Boll Weevils (10-9, 7-6 GAC) are 4-2 over their last six games, including taking one from conference-leading Ouachita Baptist last weekend. They have a 3.85 staff ERA, the third-best mark in the league, and allow the second-best opponent batting average at .244. UAM posts three of the top five individual ERA marks as well, with reliever Ben Aldridge leading the way with a 1.52 mark in 23 2/3 innings. Zach McKnight has a 2.03 ERA and 3-1 record in six starts and 40 innings. Austin Braddock's 2.13 ERA is fifth, and he is 5-1 in six starts, including four complete games.

Kevin Fitzpatrick leads the UAM bats with a .432 average, adding three home runs and seven RBIs. Corey Wood adds a .373 average, three homers, three triples and a team-high 19 RBIs, while Travis Steinke has four home runs, five doubles and 14 batted in.

The series is scheduled for a single game at 2 p.m. Friday at Weevils Field, with a doubleheader slated for noon Saturday. All three games can be heard live on 980 AM (KCAB) in Russellville, with live audio and statistics available at www.arkansastechsports.com