SERIES INFORMATION
ARKANSAS TECH GOLDEN SUNS 31-16 (21-6 GAC)	NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE RANGERS 13-28-1 (7-20 GAC)
Friday, April 22 | 5 p.m. Chartwells Women's Sports Complex | Russellville, Ark. LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO Saturday, April 23 | Noon (DH) Chartwells Women's Sports Complex | Russellville, Ark. LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - Coming off a tough mid-week non-conference doubleheader loss to No. 15 Oklahoma Christian on the road, the Arkansas Tech softball team returns to Great American Conference play as they host the Rangers of Northwestern Oklahoma State for a three-game weekend series. Winner of eight straight conference series and currently No. 5 in the Central Region according to the initial NCAA Regional Rankings that were released on Wednesday afternoon, Arkansas Tech looks to continue the great season they have put together thus far with this weekends matchup. The opening game of the weekend is set for tomorrow evening with a 5 p.m. first pitch at Chartwells Women's Sports Complex. Then, the three-game weekend series will wrap with doubleheader action on Saturday with first pitch slated for noon.

SCOUTING THE RANGERS

Entering the weekend, Northwestern Oklahoma State is 13-28-1 overall with a 7-20 record in conference play and are coming off an 0-3 series sweep at home against Harding. Against GAC opponents the Rangers have picked up series wins against Southwestern Oklahoma State and Henderson State.

As a team, the Bulldogs are hitting .273 so far this season (301-for-1101) with 204 runs scored, 61 doubles, five triples and 35 homeruns. Coming into the series, the Rangers have two hitters with at least 100 at-bats hitting .300 or better and are led by Abby DeTar with a .379 average (53-for-140). The other batting average leader for Northwestern Oklahoma is Allison Zanca with a .346 average (36-for-104).

In terms of power numbers, the Rangers have eight total players that have hit at least one homerun on the year. Mackenzie Adams leads the team in total homeruns with ten on the year, while DeTar follows behind with seven. Jayden Solberg has hit five , while Zanca has four. Closing out the leaders in homeruns is Hannah Howell and Morgan Le Neve each with three homers on the season. Lindsey McElroy and Jaci Oakley make up the rest of the homer list for the Rangers. The leader in RBI's is DeTar with 35 followed by Adams with 34, while Howell rounds out the list with 22 RBI's on the year.

In the circle, the Rangers have a team ERA of 7.77 and have struckout 136 in 264.0 total innings.

Six total pitchers have made at least one appearance in the circle this season so far for the Rangers. Howell leads in starts with 26, followed by Hannah Scoggin with 14. Howell is 9-11 with a 6.39 ERA and has struckout 68 in 131.0 innings. Scoggin is 0-8 with a 9.16 ERA and has 40 strikeouts in 73.2 total innings.

In relief, Allie Hufford leads with 19 appearances and has the only save of the season for the Rangers so far this season. She has a 8.82 ERA and has struckout 18 hitters in 32.2 innings pitched.

TECH TIDBITS

The Golden Suns enter this weekends three-game conference series against the Rangers at 31-16 overall with a 21-6 record among Great American Conference opponents. Tech is coming off a tough loss on the road where they faced No. 15 Oklahoma Christian in a hard fought mid-week non-conference doubleheader where they just barely came up short. The Golden Suns are 8-2 in their last 10 games and have won eight straight conference series against Southern Arkansas, Harding, Arkansas-Monticello, Southern Nazarene, Oklahoma Baptist, Ouachita Baptist, Henderson State and Southwestern Oklahoma State.

Offensively, the Golden Suns are hitting .281 as a team this season (347-for-1234) with 265 runs scored, 75 doubles, four triples and 57 homeruns. Entering the weekend, the Golden Suns have two batters with at least 135 at-bats hitting .400 or better and are led by Caitlyn Wells' .428 average (59-for-138). Tymber Riley also holds a solid average at the plate hitting .421 on the season (61-for-145).

In terms of power numbers, the Golden Suns boast 13 total players who have notched at least one homer on the year. Leading the charge in homeruns for Arkansas Tech is Riley who has launched 13 on the season. Wells follows behind Riley with 11 busted homers, while Makenzie Goins has whacked nine and Shelby Chavers has six. Rounding out the list of homerun leaders for the Golden Suns is Holly Crutchfield with five and Brooke Prewitt with four. Leading Tech in RBI's on the season is Riley with 44 and Goins who has collected 41. Closing out the list for the Golden Suns is Wells with 40 RBI's on the season.

In the circle, the Golden Suns have a 2.11 team ERA and have struckout 276 batters in 311.1 total innings.

Eight total pitchers have made at least one appearance inside the circle for Arkansas Tech so far this season. Shannon Lasey leads the team in starts with 23. Bailey Buffington has 16 starts, while Maddy Prough has started seven games. Lasey is 14-6 when starting in the circle and holds a 1.57 ERA, the best among the Tech starters. The sophomore pitcher has also recorded 105 strikeouts in 116.0 innings pitched and has held opposing bats to just a .182 average at the plate. Buffington is 10-6 with a 2.51 ERA and has collected 78 strikeouts in 89.1 innings of work. She is also holding opposing bats at the plate to just a .224 average. Prough is 5-4 with a 2.88 ERA and has struckout 41 in 48.2 innings. Like the other two starters, Prough holds hitters to a low average of .230 at the plate.

In relief, Kaila Cartwright leads the Golden Suns with 23 total appearances, that includes a start and is 2-0 while boasting a 1.05 ERA. Cartwright has managed to log 44 strikeouts in 46.2 innings and leads the Golden Suns in saves with five. Lasey has two saves on the year and Prough has one to round out the group with saves.