RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (8-1) will officially start Great American Conference play on Friday, Feb. 19, as they will open a four-game series on the road against Ouachita Baptist (6-2). The Golden Suns will play a pair of doubleheaders, with the first game starting at 1 p.m. at Sully Anderson Field.
 
THE OBU SERIES
Arkansas Tech leads the all-time series against Ouachita Baptist 27-17 dating back to 2005. The Golden Suns swept the Lady Tigers last season in four games, including back-to-back shutouts on Apr. 11, 2015 (7-0, 8-0).
 
STARTING THE SEASON STRONG
The Suns are off to a hot start for the second-consecutive season, winning eight of their first nine games of the season after playing in the Southeastern Shootout and the UAM 8-State Classic. Tech started off the season 8-0 last year on route to a 41-22 finish and appearing in the program's first ever NCAA Regional.
 
DYNAMIC DUO
Arkansas Tech's success can be attributed to the team's ace pitchers, junior Jalissa Gum and sophomore Morgan Vaughan. After three starts, Gum has a 2-0 record with a 0.48 ERA, only giving up one run on four hits while walking just eight batters to go with 22 strikeouts. In five appearances and three starts, Vaughan holds a 4-0 record and a 1.17 ERA, giving up just six runs, four earned with 10 walks and 24 strikeouts in 24 innings pitched.
 
KNOWLES POWER PLAY
Sophomore utility player Janie Knowles has brought power to a young Golden Suns lineup. Knowles has four home runs in the first nine games of the season. Knowles last season hit just one home run in 49 games last season.
 
400 CLUB
Through the first nine games, Arkansas Tech is getting some consistent hitting with four players batting .400 or better so far this season. Sophomore utility player Alex Edinger leads the Golden Suns in the leadoff role with a .438 batting average, freshman pitcher and infielder Megan Goodnight holds a .429 average, freshman Sarah Coronado is batting .417 from the plate, and Gum is doing damage from the plate and the mound with a .400 average.