RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - Following their weekend at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic where the team went 3-1 overall that included a solid 1-0 eight inning win over No. 22 Washburn, the Arkansas Tech softball team sets their sights for Edmond, Okla. as they get ready to compete in the Raising Canes Softball Festival. This will be the final slate of games before the Golden Suns begin their 2023 Great American Conference schedule next weekend against Southern Nazarene at the Chartwells Women's Sports Complex.

The event is set to begin on Friday for the Golden Suns (6-4, 0-0 GAC) and will end on Sunday afternoon. In their first pair of games on Friday, the Golden Suns will face Missouri Southern and No. 6 Central Oklahoma with first pitch times set for 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively. Both of Friday's games will be played in Edmond on the University of Central Oklahoma's campus.
 
On Saturday, Tech will take on Fort Hays State and then Nebraska-Kearney. The game against Fort Hays State is set to go at 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, while the bout against Nebraska-Kearney is set for a 6 p.m. first pitch that same day. The opening game of the day against Fort Hays State will be in Yukon, Okla. at Yukon High School, while the game against Nebraska-Kearney will be back in Edmond at UCO.

Finally on Sunday, the Golden Suns will take on Rogers State who is currently the No. 1 team in the country and the reigning NCAA Division II Softball National Champions. Sunday's game will be in Bethany, Okla. on the campus of Southern Nazarene and is slated for a 10 a.m. first pitch. 

Currently leading the hitters for the Golden Suns is Brooke Prewitt who is currently hitting a team-high .393 at the plate. Prewitt currently stands at 11 hits in 28 total at-bats with five runs scored, three doubles, three triples, a homerun and five RBI's. The shortstops three doubles and triples leads the team and she is second on the team in homeruns and RBI's. Her slugging percentage is currently .821 on the year thus far. 

Alongside Prewitt, Makenzie Goins has provided a lift on offense at the plate with a .310 batting average so far this year. Goins has recorded nine hits on 29 at-bats and has one double, is tied for first on the team in homeruns with two and has 3 RBI's. 

Heading up the pitching staff for Arkansas Tech is Bailey Buffington who earned the GAC Co-Pitcher of the Week nod for the second straight week for her outstanding performance the first two weekends of play. Buffington is 4-1 on the year and currently sits at a 0.00 ERA in 34.2 innings of work with a team-high 18 total strikeouts. The Benton, Ark. native has made five starts in six total appearances and has pitched four complete games with three total shutout outings. Opposing bats struggle to hit off Buffington's stuff in the circle holding them to just a .137 average at the plate. 

Also putting in work in the circle this season for the Golden Suns is Bradi Basler who holds a 2-1 record on the season in three starts on four total appearances. She has pitched two complete games on the year for the Golden Suns. Basler currently holds a 2.95 ERA and has struckout 16 total batters in 21.1 innings of work. Opposing bats are currently hitting .225 when Basler is in the circle. 

Scouting the Lions
So far this year, Missouri Southern has posted a 6-3 overall record and have collected wins against Northwestern Oklahoma, Arkansas-Monticello, Ouachita Baptist, Henderson State, Southern Nazarene and Southeastern. In the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association preseason coaches poll, the Lions were picked to finish fifth overall in the MIAA. 

Statistically, Yazmin Vargas leads the individual hitting effort for Missouri Southern with a .455 batting average. She has 10 hits in 22 at-bats with 12 runs scored, one triple, one homerun and two RBI's. She also leads the team in stolen bases stealing a perfect seven on seven total attempts.

Leighton Withers also provides another strong bat for Missouri Southern as she averages .438 at the plate this season. She has 14 hits in 32 at-bats with seven total runs scored, one double and a triple. Withers leads the Lions in both homeruns and RBI's with three and 13, respectively. She also leads in slugging percentage at .813 on the season. 

In the circle for the Lions, Avery Tallman leads the pitching effort with a 5-1 record in six total appearances with four starts. She has pitched two complete games and also has one shutout on the season. In terms of ERA, Tallman sits at 1.16 on the year and has struckout 22 batters in 31.0 total innings pitched. Opposing bats currently hit .193 when Tallman is in the circle this season.

Scouting the Bronchos
No. 6 Central Oklahoma is currently 4-2 on the year and have picked up wins against No. 18 Angelo State, St. Edwards, Texas Woman's and No. 3 UT-Tyler. The Bronchos were tabbed to finish third overall in the MIAA according to the preseason coaches poll. They began the season at No. 8 in the NFCA national poll, but have since climbed up to the No. 6 spot in the country. 

At the plate, Jacee Minter currently heads up the hitters for the Bronchos with a .450 batting average with nine total hits in 20 at-bats. She has scored three runs, hit four doubles, one triple, one homerun and is tied for first on the team in RBI's with seven. She holds the team-high .900 slugging percentage. 

Tatum Long is the other leading bat for Central Oklahoma with a .357 average at the plate on five hits in 14 total at-bats. Long has scored one run, hit four doubles and recorded five RBI's on the season. 

Leading the starting pitchers for the Bronchos is Corrina Rivas who has three starts in three appearances with a 2-1 record on the year thus far. Rivas sits at a 3.63 ERA and has a team-high nine strikeouts in 17.1 innings pitched. Opposing bats hit .250 when she is in the circle. 

In relief, Jordyn Pipkin holds up Central Oklahoma with a 1-1 record in three total appearances while making one start. Pipkin leads the team in ERA at 2.90 and has seven strikeouts in 9.2 total innings pitched. She currently allows opposing bats to hit .317 at the plate.

Scouting the Tigers
Prior to the start of the 2023 season, Fort Hays State was picked to finish 11th overall in the MIAA preseason coaches poll. So far this season, the Tigers have a 3-1 overall record and have wins against Oklahoma Baptist, Southwestern Oklahoma and Northwestern Oklahoma. 

Leading the Tigers at the plate is Sarah Tiffany who is currently hitting a .571 batting average with eight hits in 14 total at-bats. She has scored two runs, hit one double, one triple and has four RBI's on the year. She is the team leader in stolen bases with a perfect four stolen in four total attempts. 

Madison Pierce is also a threat at the plate for Fort Hays State hitting .500 at the plate with six hits in 12 at-bats. Pierce has scored two runs, hit three doubles, one homerun and holds the team-high in both RBI's with eight and slugging percentage at 1.000 on the season. 

In the circle, Savanah Egger leads the Tiger starters with a 1-1 record and one save on two starts with three total appearances and has pitched two complete games. Egger currently sits at a 1.50 ERA on the year and has logged a team-high 19 strikeouts in 14.0 innings pitched. At the plate, opposing bats are hitting .190 against Egger when she is in the circle. 

Morgan Schmidt has also been a positive factor in the circle for the Tigers with a 1-0 record in one start on one appearance. In her single start of the year thus far, Schmidt threw a complete game to go alongside a shutout. She sits at a 0.00 ERA and has struckout 10 batters in 5.0 innings. Opposing bats hit .118 against Schmidt in her single appearance of the season. 

Scouting the Lopers
In the MIAA preseason coaches poll, Nebraska-Kearney was picked to finish eighth overall in the MIAA. The Lopers currently hold an even 4-4 record on the season thus far and have collected wins against Eastern New Mexico, Southwestern Oklahoma State and two against Coloardo-Colorado Springs (UCCS). 

Leading the Lopers at the plate so far this season has been Sydney Thomason who has a .370 batting average with 10 hits in 27 total at-bats. She has scored seven runs, hit one homerun and has three RBI's on the year. 

Carly Dembowski is the other leading hitting for Nebraska-Kearney with a .348 average at the plate with eight total hits on 23 at-bats. Dembowski has scored seven runs, hit one double, one triple, two homeruns and has seven RBI's.

In the circle, Tomason also leads the pitching staff with a 1-1 record in three starts on six appearances. She sits at a 4.20 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 16.2 total innings pitched. 

Scouting the Hillcats
The defending NCAA DII National Champions have opened their 2023 season with a perfect 6-0 start and have picked up wins against Southeastern, Drury, Illinois Springfield, Harding and two wins against Cameron in a double header. The Hillcats were picked to win the MIAA according to the preseason coaches poll. They also opened the season ranked No. 1 in the country according to the NFCA national poll and still remain at that No. 1 spot. 

Leading the Hillcat batters is Bridgett Morales with a .588 average at the plate with 10 hits in 17 total-at bats. Morales has scored four runs, hit two doubles, one homerun and has a team-high nine RBI's on the season. She also holds a .941 slugging percentage, which is also a team-high for Rogers State. 

MaKayla Jackson is the other threat in the order for the Hillcats hitting .444 at the plate with four hits in nine at-bats total. She has scored one run, hit a homerun and has three RBI's on the year. 

In the batting order as a whole, Rogers State boasts five in the order who are all hitting .300 or better on the season. 

Leading the starters in the circle for the Hillcats is Sara Llamas-Howell with a 3-0 record in three starts on three total appearances. She has thrown one complete game for a shutout so far this year. Llamas-Howell sits at a 0.56 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 16.0 total innings pitched. Opposing bats are hitting .175 on the season when Llamas-Howell is in the circle for Rogers State. 

In relief, Harley Culie leads the Hillcats with a 2-0 record on one start in four total appearances. Culie currently owns a 1.50 ERA and has struckout 12 batters in 12.0 innings. She has held opposing bats to a .154 average at the plate this season.