RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — As the calendar flips to the final month of the regular season, the Arkansas Tech baseball team will be looking to solidify a fourth straight trip to the Great American Conference tournament, beginning this weekend as Tech hosts Southern Arkansas in a three-game conference series.

The Wonder Boys (19-14, 6-8 GAC) currently sit just a game-and-a-half out of the sixth spot in the league standings, with the top six teams earning bids to the conference postseason. Tech has gone 5-3 in its last eight GAC contests, earning series wins over East Central and Southeastern Oklahoma, both of which sit ahead of the Wonder Boys in the standings. The Muleriders (23-12, 11-7 GAC), who have lost three of the past four to the Wonder Boys, are currently third.

The Tech offense continues to generate some pop, leading the GAC in runs with 247 and home runs with 32, while sitting third with a .297 team batting average. The squad has churned out double-digit hits in 17 of its 33 games, including nine of its past 12. Patrick Castleberry has been the most consistent threat, as his .365 average is seventh in the GAC and he leads the conference with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs, numbers that place him in the top 20 nationally in both catagories. The senior is also tops in the league with 35 runs scored and a .748 slugging percentage.

Castleberry is joined by three teammates batting at least .343 or better as well. Cole Fergus posts a .348 average with six home runs and 25 RBIs while his slugging percentage is just a tick behind Castleberry's at .725. Bryan Heward is batting .347 with five homers, six doubles, 32 RBIs and 30 runs scored, and is tied with teammate John Lassiter for sixth in the GAC with eight stolen bases. Keenan Jumper is hitting .343 and is tied with Castleberry and Caleb McKinnon for the team lead with nine doubles on the season.

That offense will be countered by one of the top pitching staffs in the conference, as SAU features the GAC's second-best team ERA at 3.28. The Mulerider arms lead the league with 239 strikeouts, allow the second-fewest walks, and allow opposing hitters to bat just .249 against them. They're led by two of the top starters in the league.

Landon Simpson is 5-3 on the year with a GAC-best 1.72 ERA with 46 strikeouts and just 12 walks. Timothy Buchanan sports a 2-1 record with a 2.04 ERA and has struck out 26 against just one walk. Preston Gray has collected a 5-3 record with a 3.16 ERA over nine starts, and closer Travis Johnson has a 1.25 ERA with five saves in 14 appearances.

The Mulerider offense is nearly as strong. Jon Phillips leads the way with a .331 average, 14 doubles and 21 RBIs. Billy Germaine posts a .309 average and team highs with six homers and 30 RBIs.

The series, which is set for a single game at 7 Friday night, followed by a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday, can be heard live on 980 AM (KCAB) in Russellville, with live audio and statistics available at www.arkansastechsports.com.