RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Tech softball will be at home this weekend, as the Golden Suns host East Central in a four-game series. Play begins with a doubleheader set for 3 p.m. on Friday, followed by a noon doubleheader on Saturday.
 
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Live statistics, audio and video for all four games are available at www.arkansastechsports.com.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
Arkansas Tech leads the all-time series against East Central, 10-7. The Golden Suns have won seven straight games over the Tigers, including a 3-2 win over ECU in last season's Great American Conference Tournament.
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN SUNS
Arkansas Tech (20-12, 14-6 GAC) enters the series after splitting four games with Oklahoma Baptist last weekend. The Suns currently sit in fourth in the GAC standings, one game behind third-place Arkansas-Monticello.
 
Megan Goodnight leads Tech's offense, batting .363 with six home runs and 27 runs batted in. Over the last 12 games, Goodnight is hitting .408 with five doubles and a team-high 10 RBI. Ashley Landry follows with a .308 average this season, including eight hits in her last five games. Ashton Sangster has scored 19 runs and is 10-10 on stolen bases, while she also leads the team with 55 assists in the field. As a team, Tech's .977 fielding percentage ranks third in Division II.
 
Tech's pitchers have held opponents to hit just .207 this season, while the Golden Suns' 2.23 earned-run average ranks third in the conference. Morgan Vaughan leads Tech and ranks fourth in the GAC with a 1.62 earned-run average in 65.0 innings pitched this season. Vaughan has pitched four complete games and her four saves ranks third in Division II. Jalissa Gum has pitched 109.1 innings and ranks third in Division II with 171 strikeouts. Gum has allowed just six earned runs in her last five starts, all five of which have been complete games.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
East Central (19-13, 10-10 GAC) is coming of a 2-2 weekend against Henderson State, and the Tigers are 5-3 in their last eight games. ECU is fifth in the GAC standings, four games behind Arkansas Tech.
 
The Tigers boast the third highest batting average in the GAC this season, hitting .291 as a team. Alyssa Taylor ranks fourth in the conference with a team-high .425 batting average, while leading ECU with 11 doubles, five home runs and 20 runs batted in. Mariah Ewy follows with a .348 average, 12 runs scored and 17 runs batted in.
 
ECU has posted an earned-run average of 3.01, with all four starters maintaining an ERA under 4.0. Kelbie Crelia has started 14 games and totaled 75.1 innings pitched, including six complete games. Karlie Milburn leads the Tigers with eight wins and two saves, while Lindsay Wade has a team-low 2.46 earned-run average in 37.0 innings pitched this season.