Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern softball program will be in Bentonville, Ark. this weekend with a two day, four game schedule at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic.

For the tournament the Lions are set to play Southern Nazarene (11:00am) and Harding (1:30pm) on Saturday from Memorial Park Field 5 before wrapping up the weekend on Sunday. The games on Sunday will be against Southeastern Oklahoma (11:00am) on Memorial Park Field 3 and Illinois Springfield (1:30pm) from Memorial Park Field eight . 

Southern is coming off a 4-1 showing at the Ronnie Hawkins/Mike McGhee Memorial Tournament that saw Leighton Withers named the MIAA Hitter of the Week. Withers is leading the team with nine hits, two home runs, 10 RBIs and 18 total bases. Abby DeSanto has a .571 batting average, 1.000 slugging percentage and .625 on base percentage for a 1.625 OPS to lead the team in each category. Yazmin Vargas is hitting .462 with seven runs scores, six hits and is 5-5 for stolen bases. Emily Perry is hitting .417 with two doubles to lead the team and has scored four runs herself, Marybeth Dyson is hitting .333 with two runs scored and going 2-2 for stolen bases. Avery Tallman is 3-0 with a 1.32 ERA in 13.2 innings of work so far, with 13 strikeouts and one walk issued while opponents are hitting .216 against her. Bailey Lacy is 1-0 with 12.1 innings of work with nine strikeouts and opponents hitting . 271 against her. As a team the Lions average 7.6 runs and 10.2 hits per game while hitting .338 and as a pitching staff averages 6.0 strikeouts with opponents hitting .268.

Southern Nazarene are 2-2 after participating in the Lubbock Christian Invite where they beat #22 Washburn to begin the season. Leading the charge for the Storm is Hailey Evans who is hitting .571 with eight hits, seven RBIs, slugging .857 with a .571 on base percentage for a 1.428 OPS to lead the team in all those categories. Emma Swearingen is hitting .429 with six hits, and three RBIs while slugging .714 while Liana Heshiki (.308) and Kennedy Sherer (.300) rounding out the hitter with a .300 or better batting average. Olivia Hernandez has a 1.05 ERA in 6.2 innings of relief with eight strikeouts and opponents hitting .136 against her. Katelyn Woodard has a 3.50 ERA in 12.0 innings while striking out 13 and opponents hitting .271. Maddie Southerland has a 9.69 ERA in two starts with 4.1 innings of work as opponents are hitting .417 against her. As a team the Storm average 6.8 runs scored and 9.5 hits per game while hitting .319 and as a pitching staff averages 5.5 strikeouts with opponents hitting .302.

Harding are 4-1 after participating in the Mardi Gras Invitational where they beat #6 Texas A&M - Kingsville 6-5 in extra inning. Leading the charge for the Bisons is Leigha Harris who is hitting .400 with six hits, four runs scored, four RBIs while slugging .533 and having a .474 on base percentage. Hanna Jones leads the team with three stolen bases and Nicole Shano leads the team with a .611 slugging percentage and has hit the lone home run of the season for the team. Abby Burch has shut down opponents with a 0.00 ERA, three saves and a win in four relief appearances for 7.0 innings of work where opponents are hitting .091 against her. Maegan Pistokache has a 0.88 ERA after 16.0 innings of work where opponents are hitting .189 against her. Riley Price has a 2.10 ERA and a 2-0 record in 10.0 innings with 11 strikeouts to lead the team while opponents are hitting .22 against her. Lily Tanski has a 1-0 record with 7.0 innings pitched and opponents are hitting .154 against her. As a team the Bisons average 4.4 runs and 8.0 hits per game while hitting .267 and as a pitching staff averages 5.4 strikeouts with opponents hitting .193.

Southeastern Oklahoma are 3-2 after participating in the Mardi Gras Invitational where they beat (RV) Drury 1-0 and lost 6-2 against #6 Texas A&M - Kingsville. Leading the charge for the Savage Storm is Gracie Ore who is hitting .333 with four hits while Sabetha Sands is second on the team hitting .300 with three hits and three RBIs. Kamryn Rackley leads the team with four runs scored while hitting .188. Cheyenne Mahy has a 0.00 ERA, .57 WHIP with seven innings of work giving up four hits, no walks and striking out 10 while opponents hit .160 against her. Reese Taylor has a 2.63 ERA with 8.0 innings of work while opponents are hitting .250 against her with six walks issued and four strikeouts. Amberlyn Walsworth is 1-2 on the season with 14.1 innings of work with six strikeouts and opponents hitting .300 against her. As a team the Savage Storm average 3.4 runs and 4.8 hits per game while hitting .209 and as a pitching staff averages 4.0 strikeouts with opponents hitting .252.

Illinois Springfield will play their first games of the season this weekend with five MIAA schools on tap in #22 Washburn, Lincoln, #1 Rogers State, Missouri Western and Missouri Southern. The Prairie Stars were 31-19, 15-13 GLVC last season, losing to Drury to begin the GLVC Tournament in what was the programs fifth 30-win season and was voted fourth in the GLVC's preseason poll this season. Danielle Dennis and Jillian Mathis were second-team All-GLVC selections as Dennis hit .381 with 53 hits, 44 runs scored, 15 doubles, five home runs, 40 RBIs while slugging .626 and drew 26 walks. Mathis hit .398 with 47 hits, 20 runs scored, three home runs, 28 RBIs while slugging .568. Reagan Miles is the top returning pitcher after having a 9-6 record with three saves in 98.1 innings of work while striking out 77 and opponents hitting .268, Addyson McClure was a freshman last season and went 3-1 in 19 appearances with 34.1 innings of work while striking out 18 and opponents hitting .252. As a team in 2022 the Prairie Stars averaged 5.4 runs and 7.9 hits per game while hitting .305 and as a pitching staff averaged 4.9 strikeouts with opponents hitting .277.