RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - Coming off a hot 4-0 weekend at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic that included a 13 run and five homerun first inning, the Golden Suns hit the road one more time before the start of conference play to face another field of non-conference opponents at the Edmond Regional Festival in Edmond, Okla.. Tech will play six total games across the weekend with a double-header scheduled for each day. The event will begin on Friday, February 18 and conclude with its final batch of games on Sunday, February 20.
The Golden Suns will open the weekend taking on Missouri Southern on Friday with first pitch set to go at 12:45 p.m. that afternoon. Following the conclusion of that game, Tech will face Cameron for their second game of the day on Friday. On Saturday, Arkansas Tech will open the day against Nebraska-Kearney at 12:45 p.m. and will finish the day facing Lubbock Christian which is set for a 5:15 p.m. first pitch Saturday evening. The Golden Suns take on Central Oklahoma at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday afternoon and finish the Edmond Regional Festival against Fort Hays State at 2:30 p.m. to close out the weekend.
TECH TIDBITS
The Golden Suns come into the weekend riding a perfect 4-0 weekend at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic in their last outing. During the event, Tech run-ruled three of their four total opponents of the weekend by ten or more runs. They took down Quincy in a 10-0 run rule, followed by a 20-1 run rule against Missouri-St. Louis that saw a big time 13 run and five homerun first inning. Tech managed to grab a 4-2 win over Lincoln and closed out the weekend with another 10-0 run rule against Wayne State. Following last weekends event, the Golden Suns currently sit at 6-4 overall on the season.
The Golden Suns biggest win of the year came in their opening weekend of play at the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational in Conroe, Texas where they upset the No. 2 team in the country Augustana 6-3.
Offensively, the Golden Suns are hitting .309 as a team (77-for-249) with 66 runs scored, 17 doubles, one triple and 15 homeruns. Entering this weekend, the Golden Suns have four batters with at least 25 at-bats hitting .300 or better and are currently led by
Tymber Riley's .536 average (15-of-28).
In terms of power numbers,
Caitlyn Wells currently leads the Golden Suns with five homeruns and 17 RBI's. Following behind Wells is
Holly Crutchfield who has smashed four total homeruns.
Makenzie Goins has two homeruns, while Riley,
Shelby Chavers,
Kassie Mayberry and
Makenzie Addis have all crushed a single bomb.
On the mound, the Golden Suns have a team ERA of 2.94 and have struck out 63 total batters in 62.0 innings of work.
Maddy Prough,
Shannon Lasey and
Bailey Buffington have all started at least two games and have logged the most innings at 19.0, 15.2 and 15.0, respectively. Prough is 1-1 with a 1.84 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 19.0 innings. Prough has also picked up the only save of the season for the Golden Suns. Buffington is 3-1 with a 0.47 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 15.0 innings.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Missouri Southern is off to a 2-3 start to the season after their five game opening weekend in Oklahoma City, Okla.. They managed to pick up 17-8 run-rule win in their season opener against Midwestern State and a close 5-4 nine inning win over Southern Nazarene.
The Lions are currently led by Leighton Withers at the plate as she sits at a .471 average (8-of-17) with two doubles, a homerun and 10 RBI's on the season. MSSU's second big batter is Kara Amos who is currently averaging .429 (6-of-14) from the plate with two doubles, one triple and four RBI's.
On the mount, the Lions are led by Bailey Lacy who is 1-2 with a 2.74 ERA and nine strikeouts on 15.1 innings of work. Amos has also been a contributor on the mound with a team-high 14 strikeouts on 12.2 innings.
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
Cameron has started off the season with a 9-2 record and are coming off of a 3-2 weekend at the UCO/OC Festival in Edmond, Okla.. In their 3-2 weekend, the Aggies picked up wins against Southwestern Oklahoma State, Fort Hays State and Missouri Southern. In the Lone Star Conference pre-season coaches poll, Cameron was picked to finish ninth overall in the conference.
Leading the hitting effort for the Aggies is Breley Webb with a .500 batting average (17-for-34) four doubles and five RBI's. Following Webb is Josie Swafford who has a .406 average (13-of-32) three doubles and six RBI's.
Leading the pitching staff for CU is Swafford who is 4-1 with a 2.59 ERA and 21 strikeouts on 24.1 innings of work. Jocelyn Bright is 3-0 with a 4.32 ERA and 20 strikeouts on 24.1 innings to close out the leading pitchers for the Aggies.
SCOUTING THE LOPERS
Nebraska-Kearney is off to a 2-3 start to the year and are coming off their opening weekend at the Lubbock Collegiate Classic. In their opening slate of games, the Lopers picked up a pair of wins against Colorado Mines and Chadron State.
Against Colorado Mines, the Lopers won 8-4 with two homeruns from Hailey Schaneman and Katie Gosker and a double from Sydney Thomason. UNK defeated Chadron State 12-7 off of a pair of bombs from Gosker and Bri Healy and three doubles from a trio of hitters in the lineup.
The Lopers were picked to finish 12th in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association pre-season coaches poll.
SCOUTING THE CHAPS
Lubbock Christian has started the season with a 7-2 overall record and are coming off of a perfect 5-0 weekend at the Lubbock Sports College Invitational where they picked up wins against Oklahoma Baptist, Nebraska, Chadron State, Fort Lewis College and Northwestern Oklahoma State.
The Chaps have eight batters in the lineup who are hitting above .300 and are led by Tyla Lee with a .481 average (13-for-27), two doubles, a triple, two homeruns and 10 RBI's. Tiarra Delrosario has also been a strong hitter for the Chaps at a .458 batting average (11-for-24), two doubles, a triple and three RBI's.
On the mound, the Chaps are led by Taylor Franco who is 4-0 with a 0.98 ERA and 30 strikeouts off 28.2 innings of work. Maxine Valdez is 3-1 with a 1.17 ERA and 22 strikeouts off 18.0 innings to make another strong arm for LCU.
SCOUTING THE BRONCHOS
University of Central Oklahoma is off to a 7-2 start to the 2022 season and are coming off of a perfect 4-0 weekend at the UCO Festival where they picked up wins against Midwestern State, Southern Nazarene, Cameron and Southwestern Oklahoma State. The Bronchos were picked to win the MAIAA in the pre-season coaches poll.
The Bronchos have three batters in the lineup hitting .400 or higher. Leading the hitters for UCO is Jacee Minter with a .483 average (14-of-29), four doubles, one triple, two homeruns and 15 RBI's. Behind Minter is Shayleigh Odom who is currently hitting .429 (9-of-21), one double, two homers and 15 RBI's.
Highlighting the pitching staff for UCO is Kylee Lynch who is 5-0 with a 1.87 ERA and 17 strikeouts on 33.2 innings of work. Terin Ritz has also been a strong arm for the Bronchos at 2-1 on the season with a 4.42 ERA and 14 strikeouts on 19.0 innings.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State has started the 2022 season with a 2-6 overall record and are coming off a 1-3 record at the UCO Festival. At the UCO Festival, the Tigers managed to pickup a 5-4 win over Midwestern State.
The Tigers currently have one hitter hitting .300 or better in Loren Beggs who has posted a .304 batting average (7-of-23) so far this season. Beggs has also picked up three total doubles and four RBI's on the season.
Leading the pitching staff for Fort Hays State is Savanah Egger who is 1-3 with a 4.85 ERA and 17 total strikeouts off of 26.0 innings of work.
