Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern softball program is set to begin the final week of the MIAA regular season with double headers against Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Lions (23-18, 11-7 MIAA) will be taking on the Bearcats at 12:00 and 2:00pm approximately from the Bearcat Softball Field on Tuesday before concluding the road trip to the north west portion of the state with Missouri Western on Wednesday with game times set at 2:00 and 4:00pm approximately from the Griffon Softball Field.
Southern is hitting .304 as a team (5th in MIAA) and owns a 3.42 ERA as a staff (5th in MIAA). In April the Lions are 7-3 and against Northwest Missouri is on a five game winning streak while besting Missouri Western four straight times last season with all four games being a home.
Individually the Lions are led by
Yazmin Vargas with a .380 average scoring 42 runs and having 46 hits with five triples and two home runs to go with 14 RBIs for a .562 slugging percentage while drawing 16 walks for a .457 on base percentage while going 21-27 in stolen base attempts.
Ashlynn Williams is hitting .378 with 45 hits, eight doubles, four triples and five home runs while picking up 41 RBIs for a .639 slugging percentage while recording 226 putouts.
Josie Tofpi is hitting .360 with 36 hits and 25 runs scored with five triples and 20 RBIs while providing 71 assists.
Leighton Withers is hitting .348 with 40 hits, 12 doubles and eight home runs while picking up 42 RBIs and is slugging .661 with 176 putouts recorded.
Kara Amos is hitting .325 with 38 hits, 15 being doubles and has 24 RBIs.
Kristen Wade narrowly misses out on hitting. 300 with a .299 average with 29 hits and 11 RBIs and has 54 assists.
Adrianna Young has 32 hits with four triples and 19 RBIs while going 6-9 on stolen base attempts.
In the circle
Bailey Lacy owns a 2.98 ERA in 24 appearances in 108 innings with 98 strikeouts and opposing batters are hitting .273 against her.
Kara Amos has a 3.02 ERA in 25 appearances with 12 complete games and has pitched 120.2 innings with 82 strikeouts and opposing batters are hitting .265 against her.
Northwest Missouri (11-34, 5-15 MIAA) is hitting .270 as a team (11th in MIAA) and owns a 7.83 ERA as a staff (14th in MIAA). This season the team has an 8-14 record at home with all five of their MIAA wins coming at home including winning three in a row as of late.
Individually the Bearcats are led by Skylar Pieper with a .327 average to go with a .424 on base percentage with 125 putouts as well. Abby Nolte has a .322 average with 38 hits, 10 being home runs with 25 RBIs while slugging .610 and has provided 59 assists. Jacee Winn has a .313 average with 41 hits to lead the team and Madison Friest hits at .306 with six home runs and doubles hit to go with 15 RBIs and a .612 slugging percentage to lead the team and 179 putouts as well. Hannah Blackford is the leading thief going 9-9 on the base paths while as a team the Bearcats are 17-18 in stolen base opportunities.
In the circle for Northwest Breck Dickey has a 6.46 ERA in 25 appearances while owning a 6-12 record with 107.1 innings of work, has struck out 109 batters but has issued out 70 walks and opposing batters are hitting .326 against her. Hayden Simmons has a 7.50 ERA in 26 appearances while owning a 3-10 record in 84 innings of work while striking out 81 and walking 52 batters, opposing batters are hitting .321 against her and along with Dickey should figure to draw starting assignments. Raven Defrain and Christina Campbell should be available from the pen with Defrain owning a 9.30 ERA in 43.2 innings where opponents are hitting 418 against her. Campbell has a 11.13 ERA in 33.1 innings with 17 walks to 14 strikeouts and opposing batters are hitting .469 against her.
Missouri Western (21-20, 11-9 MIAA) is hitting .261 as a team (14th in MIAA) and owns a 3.11 ERA as a staff (3rdin MIAA). This season the team is 5-5 at home and has won three of the last four in MIAA play.
Individually the Griffons are led by Emma Hoffart with a .346 average with 47 hits with 10 being doubles and eight home runs to go with 39 RBIs with a .596 slugging percentage to go with 199 putouts. Last season's MIAA Player of the Year Sydni Hawkins is hitting .339 with 43 hits, scoring 34 runs with nine doubles and four home runs hits and 32 RBIs collected while drawing 21 walks for a .436 on base percentage while going 7-10 on stolen bases while providing 76 putouts and 81 assists.
In the circle Sydney Rader is 13-7 with a 2.58 ERA in 30 appearances in 143.2 innings of work striking out 155 and issuing out 27 walks and opposing batters are hitting .231 against her. Natalie Kissinger has a 3.08 ERA to go with a 8-11 record as the second starter with 26 appearances and has 109 innings of work with 52 strikeouts and 34 walks issued while opposing batters hit .299 against her. Kelly Uthe should be available as well and has a 6.56 ERA in nine appearances with 21.1 innings striking out 17 and walking 14 while opposing batters hit .365 against her.
