Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern softball program has moved up the weekend series against Washburn due to forecasted weather in the Joplin area this weekend.
 
The double-header originally scheduled for tomorrow against former conference member Southwest Baptist is being canceled and the Lions will now play Washburn instead with first pitch from the Pat Lipira Softball Complex still at 3 pm Wednesday April 21^st.
 
The Lions (20-13-1, 11-6-1 MIAA) are currently sixth in the MIAA standings and are 6-3-1 in the last ten games highlighted by picking up wins over then #22 Rogers State and beating Central Missouri in Warrensburg for the first time since 2014.
 
As a team the Lions lead the MIAA in double plays turned, stolen bases (74), stolen bases per game (2.18), triples (12), second in sacrifice bunts (22), sixth in scoring (5.03) and sixth in total runs scored (171) while having five batters hitting .300 or better. Nationally the Lions rank sixth in double plays turned, 10^th in triples, 15^th in stolen bases and 26^th in stolen bases per game.
 
Leading the charge individually is Josie Tofpi with a .377 batting average, 40 hits (11^th in MIAA), 10 doubles (T-6^th in MIAA), a .575 slugging percentage with three home runs and 26 RBIs, while having 73 assists (T-7^th in MIAA) and five stolen bases. Yazmin Vargas leads the MIAA and is third in Division II with 26 stolen bases in 28 attempts and went 8-8 this past week on the base paths. Vargas has a .336 batting average, scored 28 runs, with 39 hits, and 70 putouts in the outfield. Makaila Leonhart is eighth in the MIAA with nine doubles, posting a .290 batting average, has 70 assists and is 10-11 in stolen bases ranking 11^th in the MIAA. Adrianna Young has a .310 batting average to go with being 9-11 in stolen bases to rank 13^th in the MIAA. Sidinie Hurst is 17^th in the MIAA going 8-9 for stolen bases. 
 
In the circle Abby Atkin has an 8-5 record and a 2.52 ERA (8^th in MIAA). Atkin has appeared in 22 games pitching 83.1 innings striking out 37 and limiting opposing batters to a .267 batting average. Atkin is one strikeout away from being the 12^th Lion to achieve 200 career strikeouts at Missouri Southern. Bailey Lacy is 7-2 with a 3.11 ERA in 17 appearances. Lacy has pitched 63 innings, struck out a team-high 65 (T-10^th in MIAA), while limiting opposing batters to a .248 batting average. Lacy is third in the MIAA in strikeouts per seven innings (7.2), sixth in strikeouts -to-walk ratio (3.61), and ninth in WHIP (1.25).
 
Washburn (23-6, 9-3 MIAA) is currently third in the MIAA standings having won their last four games. Marrit Mead has a .490 batting average with 50 hits (3^rd in MIAA), six home runs and 27 RBIs to go with a .784 slugging percentage and a .509 on-base percentage while going 17-17 in stolen bases. Ashton Friend has a .377 batting average with five home runs and 30 RBIs. In the circle Raegen Hamm is 12-4 with a 2.66 ERA in 20 appearances pitching 89.1 innings, striking out 69 and limiting opposing batters to a .229 batting average. Jaycee Ginter is 11-2 with a 2.76 ERA in 16 appearances going 83.2 inning, striking out a team-high 79 batters and limits opposing batters to a .242 batting average.