Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern softball team will make a return trip to the Edmond Regional Festival for a second week in a row with the original schedule being tweaked slightly.

Southern was originally slated to play two games at Tom Heath Field on Friday but have now been shifted to playing at Piedmont High School in Oklahoma City facing off against Arkansas Tech at 12:45pm and Southeastern Oklahoma at 5:15pm. Saturday's schedule stayed the same for the Lions as they will take on (RV) Harding at 10:30am and Lubbock Christian at 3:00pm at Broncho Softball Field at Central Oklahoma. Sunday the Lions begin the day against Chadron State at 10:00am at Broncho Softball Field before taking on East Central at 2:30pm at Tom Heath Field at Oklahoma Christian. 

The Lions (2-3) finished last week averaging 7.4 runs and 8.2 hits a game being led by Leighton Withers with a .471 batting average with eight hits, 10 RBIs, a .765 slugging percentage and a .526 on base percentage while hitting a home run as well. Kara Amos has a .429 batting average with two doubles and a triple while slugging .714 and has a .556 on base percentage. Ashlynn Williams (.526) and Abby DeSanto (.500) are third and fourth on the team in on base percentage with DeSanto also having a team-high eight runs scored and three doubles. Bailey Lacy has a 2.74 ERA in five appearances spanning 15.1 innings and limits opposing batters to a .292 batting average.

Arkansas Tech (6-4) was picked to finish second in the GAC preseason poll and are led by Tyber Riley with a .536 batting average with 15 hits, nine doubles and a .639 on base percentage while also slugging .964 and having 10 RBIs. Caitlyn Wells has a .464 batting average with 13 hits and 17 RBIs while slugging 1.071. In the circle the Golden Suns are led by Bailey Buffington with a 3-1 record to go with a 0.47 ERA, 0.60 WHIP in 15 innings with 18 strikeouts and limits opposing batters to a .143 batting average. Maddy Prough has made five appearances this season going 1-1 with a 1.84 ERA in 19 innings, striking out 16 and limiting batters to a .211 batting average.

Southeastern Oklahoma (7-4) was picked to finish third in the GAC preseason poll and are led by Cheyenne Mahy with a .438 batting average with 14 hits, six doubles, nine RBIs and a .719 slugging percentage. Kamryn Rackley leads the team going 6-7 on stolen base attempts while also hitting .364 with 12 hits, two of which were triples while also drawing a team-high four walks. In the circle Amberlyn Walsworth is 4-2 with a 1.27 ERA in 33 innings of work, striking out 26 batters and limits them to a .286 batting average in eight appearances. Mahy leads the team with nine appearances in the circle to go with a 3.46 ERA, a 3-2 record in 32.1 innings, striking out 26 batters and limits them to a .250 batting average.

Harding (8-2) who is receiving votes in the NFCA poll was picked to finish fourth in the GAC preseason poll and are led by Nicole Shano with a .459 batting average with 17 hits, four doubles, five home runs, 14 RBIs, a 1.027 slugging percentage with a .512 on base percentage. Emma Curry is second on the team with three home runs and eight RBIs while slugging 1.188. Hannah Garrett is 8-8 on stolen base attempts this season and as a team the Bisons are 23-23 in thefts. In the circle Lily Tanski is 5-1 in seven appearances with a 2.79 ERA in 37.2 innings while striking out 29 and limiting opposing batters to a .230 batting average. 

Lubbock Christian (7-2) was picked to finish seventh in the LSC preseason poll and are led by Tyla Lee with a .481 batting average with 13 hits and a .852 slugging percentage, while also providing two home runs and 10 RBIs. Skylar Herrera and Kasey Flores have three home runs each this season, Savannah Wysocki and Brooke Makemson have three triples this season as well. The Lady Chaps have five batters with a .420 batting average or better and four that have stolen five or more bases this season. In the circle Taylor Franco is 4-0 in six appearances with a 0.98 ERA in 28.2 innings of work striking out 30 and limits opposing batters to a.152 batting average.  Maxine Valdez is 3-1 in five appearances pitching 18 innings with a 1.17 ERA striking out 22 and limits opposing batters to a .129 batting average.

Chadron State (0-5) was picked to finish ninth in the RMAC preseason poll and are led by Lauren Zimmerman with a .385 batting average with five hits this season. Jessie Henchenski and J'lyssa Martinez each have a home run with Henchrnski leading the team with three RBIs and a .667 slugging percentage. In the circle Gabby Russell has appeared in three games this season and has a 6.75 ERA in 9.1 innings of work limiting opposing batters to a .263 batting average. Tia Kohl is 0-4 in five appearances with a 7.17 ERA pitching in 13.2 innings and limits opposing batters to a .281 batting average.

East Central (2-5) was picked to finish ninth in the GAC preseason poll and are led by Kenzie Lasker with a .583 batting average with seven hits and five RBIs to go with a .750 slugging and .615 on base percentages. Gabi Quintanilla and Kaleigh Ham have hit a home run for the (). In the circle Taia Harris is 1-3 with a 5.69 ERA in four games pitching 19.2 innings with 13 strikeouts and holds opposing batters to a .311 batting average. Taryn O'Brien is 1-1 with a 7.41 ERA in five appearances pitching 11.1 innings and opposing batters are hitting .404 against her.