Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern softball program plays host to rival Pittsburg State tomorrow inside the Pat Lipira Softball Complex for a MIAA double-header. First pitch is set for 12 pm with President Dr. Dean Van Galen and First Lady Mary Van Galen set to throw out the first pitch prior, and Justin Maskus will be broadcasting live on the Radio as well.

Southern (8-10, 1-3 MIAA) has five batters with a batting average at or above .300 (Josie Tofpi, Kara Amos, Ashlynn Williams, Yazmin Vargas, Leighton Withers). Tofpi has a team-high .389 batting average while tying for the team lead with five doubles and 21 hits, while having a team-high seven walks drawn and 32 assists. Williams is 2nd in the MIAA with 20 RBIs, ninth in home runs (4) and slugging percentage (.769), and is 10th in total bases (40) while recording a team-high 82 putouts. Vargas the lead-off hitter leads the MIAA with 14 steals on the season and has a team-high 18 runs scored (5th best in MIAA for runs scored per game)  while leading the outfield with 45 putouts. Withers is tied with Tofpi for second on the team with 15 RBIs, and has 74 putouts playing in the infield.

Abby Atkin leads the MIAA with 14 appearances in the circle going 41.1 innings striking out 16 opposing batters to a 4-4 record and a 3.56 ERA. Amos a utility player has pitched in 10 games for 38 innings striking out a team-high 32 strikeouts and limits opposing batters to a .283 batting average. Amos as a batter is fifth in the MIAA for on-base percentage at .500, second on the team with three home runs and a .605 slugging percentage.

Gorillas (8-14, 4-2 MIAA) as a team are hitting .262, Kaity Kukowski has a team-high .322 batting average while having three home runs, two doubles and 11 RBIs. Paxtyn Hayes and Audry Miller are tied for the team lead with four home runs on the season. Kaylee Burns the reigning MIAA pitcher of the week leads the team with a 3.92 ERA in 59 innings and a 4-5 record. Taylor Compton is 2-2 from the circle on the season with a 5.19 ERA in 29.2 innings of work. 

Coming into tomorrow's games the Gorillas are on a four game losing streak while the Lions have lost the last three all against ranked opponents. In the all-time series the Gorillas have a 37-17 advantage but the Lions are 3-1 in the last four games played in Joplin.