Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern softball program will host Newman and Central Oklahoma to finish the week with the MIAA race for standings heating up.
 
The Lions (24-21, 12-10 MIAA) will be taking on the Jets tomorrow before taking on Central Oklahoma on May 1^st at 1:00 and 3:00pm approximately both days inside the Pat Lipira Softball Complex. Seniors Tori Frazier and Kristen Wade will be honored after the double header against the Bronchos.
 
As a team Southern is currently tied for sixth in MIAA standings and is hitting .295 (5^th in MIAA) with a conference leading 24 triples (5^th in D-II) while having a 3.44 ERA (5^th in MIAA) as a staff with 19 double plays turned (2^nd in MIAA).
 
Individually Ashlynn Williams leads the team with a .361 average with 48 hits, eight doubles, four triples, six home runs and 43 RBIs (4^th in MIAA) while slugging .617 and has 245 putouts. Yazmin Vargas is hitting .353 with 44 runs scored (T-3^rd in MIAA), 48 hits, seven doubles, five triples and has 16 walks drawn while swiping 21 bases. Leighton Withers is hitting .348 with 40 hits, 12 doubles, eight home runs and 42 RBIs while slugging 3661 and has 176 putouts. Josie Tofpi is hitting .333 with 38 hits and 28 runs scored with five triples and has 80 assists. Kara Amos is hitting .317 with 40 hits, 16 being doubles (T-3^rd in MIAA) with 25 RBIs. Adrianna Young is hitting .296 with 37 hits with four triples and has 22 RBIs while swiping seven bags.
 
In the circle Bailey Lacy owns a 2.94 ERA (10^th in MIAA) in 27 appearances with eight complete games and five shutouts in 121 innings (8^th in MIAA) with 110 strikeouts (7^th in MIAA) while holding opponents to a .265 batting average. Kara Amos has a 3.18 ERA in 29 appearances with 13 complete games in 130 innings with 90 strikeouts and opposing batters are hitting .269 against her. Avery Tallman has appeared in 18 games with 34.2 innings of work with 21 strikeouts and only six walks issued.
 
Newman (18-26, 9-13 MIAA) is tied for ninth in MIAA standings currently and is hitting .312 (4^th in MIAA) and as a pitching staff has a 5.94 ERA (13^th in MIAA) with 128 strikeouts being the fewest in the conference.
 
Individually the Jets are led by Lindsay Mayo with a .408 average with 58 hits and 31 runs scored with seven home runs and 29 RBIs while slugging .606 and has 298 putouts. Gianna Navarro is hitting .396 with 55 hits, 10 being doubles and has 21 RBIs while recording 81 assists. Anissa Ramos is hitting .350 with 50 hits, nine being doubles and has 28 RBIs and a team-high 111 assists. Laurie Cooke is hitting .346 with 36 runs scored to lead the team and is 21-for-21 in stolen bases this season while also recording 86 assists. 
 
In the circle for Newman Madison Dewitt owns a 4.64 ERA and a 4-14 record in 23 appearances with 99.2 innings striking out 50 and issuing out 43 walks while opposing batters hit .299 against her. Megan Walz should figure to start along with Dewitt and owns a 6.39 ERA in 23 appearances in 80 innings with 39 strikeouts and 31 walks issued and opposing batters are hitting .325 against her. Janine Gutierrez and Anna Veitien should also be available with both throwing more than 40 innings this season in over 15 appearances each.
 
Central Oklahoma (41-7, 20-2 MIAA) is in hunt for the MIAA crown with four games left for the Bronchos and are second in MIAA standings. The Bronchos are hitting .339 as a team with 351 runs scored, and 323 RBIs to lead the MIAA in each category while as a pitching staff has a 2.26 ERA (2^nd in MIAA) but is 13^th in strikeouts with only 170.
 
Individually the Bronchos are led by Jacee Minter with a .420 average with 63 hits, 47 runs scored, 21 doubles, nine home runs, 55 RBIs while slugging .767. Amelya Huggins has a .388 average with 45 hits, 12 being doubles and nine home runs to go with 38 RBIs slugging .724 with 39 walks drawn for a .538 on base percentage and has 173 putouts. Tarin Dubler hits .342 with 50 hits and 45 runs scored and has provided 83 assists. Shayleigh Odom and Korbyn Skipworth are hitting .340 while Shayla Harper is at .336 with 51 hits and 45 runs scored with seven doubles, seven triples and eight home runs for 43 RBIs while providing a team-high 126 assists. Brighton Gilbert hits at .327 and has provided 112 assists and Lexy Dobson is hitting at .326 with nine doubles and four home runs while adding 31 RBIs. 
 
In the circle Kylee Lynch has been an ace going 22-1 this season in 31 appearances with 17 complete games and seven shutouts for a 1.57 ERA in 156 innings with 84 strikeouts and only 20 walks issued while opponents hit .205 against her. Isie Cox along with Terin Ritz are likely to get a start of be used in relief for the Bronchos this weekend. Cox is 9-4 with a 3.83 ERA in 23 appearances with 67.2 innings of work and opponents are hitting .288 against her. Ritz is 6-2 with a 3.61 ERA in nine appearances with seven starts and has worked 40.2 innings with opponents hitting .281 against her. Bailey McKittrick would figure to be available more out of the bullpen with 15 appearances this season and only three starts in 35.2 innings for a 4-0 record and a 0.79 ERA with 22 strikeouts and four walks while opposing batters hit .223 against her.

The Lions have all but secured a spot in the MIAA Tournament that will be in Edmond, Okla. again this season with Central Oklahoma serving as the host school. The tournament is set to be a double elimination format with games happening from Wednesday May 4th - Saturday May 7th.