Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern softball program will host No. 20 Washburn and Emporia State this weekend in conference double headers at the Pat Lipira Softball Complex beginning on Friday Apr. 14th.

Game schedule for the weekend will have Washburn play the Lions on Friday with first pitch set for 4:00 and 6:00pm with the Hornets and Lions playing on Saturday to end the weekend at the Pat Lipira Softball Complex at 1:00 and 3:00pm.

The Lions (28-7, 13-1 MIAA) as a team are hitting .320 with 8.8 hits, 1.6 doubles, 1.0 home runs, 6.5 runs, 1.7 stolen bases with a  83.1 percent success rate and as a pitching staff has a 3.69 ERA with opponents hitting .262 and striking out 5.7 strikeouts per game. 

Yazmin Vargas leads the team with a .453 average, 33 runs scored and is 23-for-24 in stolen base attempts. Leighton Withers is hitting .432 with 41 hits, eight doubles, nine home runs and 35 RBIs. Emily Perry is hitting .373 with 38 hits, seven doubles, five home runs and 22 RBIs. Kara Amos is hitting .324 with 22 hits, three doubles, a home run and 16 RBIs. Josie Tofpi is hitting .320 with 33 hits, four doubles, five home runs and 25 RBIs. Adrianna Young is hitting .295 this season overall but in conference play leads the team with a .433 average and has scored 11 runs in conference play to be tied for the team lead in that category.

On the mound Bailey Lacy is 9-0 with a 2.69 ERA from 21 appearances, six starts for 73.2 innings with 74 strikeouts and opponents hitting .235. Avery Tallman is 13-2 with a 3.07 ERA from 21 appearances, 17 starts for 85.0 innings with 45 strikeouts and opponents hitting .257. Natalie Bates is 5-3 with a 4.27 ERA from 15 appearances, seven starts for 52.2 innings with 57 strikeouts and opponents hitting .287.

Washburn (31-6, 10-6 MIAA) as a team is hitting .290 with 7.7 hits, 1.5 doubles, 0.4 home runs, 4.9 runs, 0.9 stolen bases with a 97.4 percent success rate per game and as a pitching staff has a 2.06 ERA with opponents hitting .206 and striking out 7.9 times per game.

Marrit Mead leads the team with a .449 average, 42 runs scored, 57 hits, 11 doubles and is 23-for-23 in stolen base attempts, Hadley Kerschen is hitting .400 with 48 hits, six doubles, two home runs and 20 RBIs. Jaycee Ginter is hitting .318 with 34 hits, nine doubles, six home runs an 36 RBIs. Paige Robbins is hitting .306 with 37 hits, four doubles, three triples and 13 RBIs.

On the mound Ginter is 21-5 with a 1.43 ERA from 35 appearances, 22 starts with 15 complete games for 166.0 innings while striking out 211 and opponents hitting .189. Sadie Walker is 5-3 with a 3.46 ERA from 17 appearances, 15 starts for 54.2 innings while striking out 57 and opponents hitting .257. Sheyenne Cheek is 5-1 with a 2.61 ERA from 22 appearances, three starts for 51.0 innings while striking out 50 and opponents hitting .199.

Emporia State (27-15, 7-7 MIAA) as a team is hitting .282 with 6.9 hits, 1.1 doubles, 0.3 home runs, 5.0 runs, 3.0 stolen bases with a 91.4 percent success rate per game and as a pitching staff has a 3.40 ERA with opponents hitting .281 and striking out 3.8 times per game.

Sophia Rochold leads the team with a .305 average scoring 10 runs from 25 hits, four doubles, two triples and has stolen two bases. Emma Furnish is hitting .304 with 24 runs scored, 38 hits, two doubles, four triplws, a home run, 22 RBIs and is 13-for-14 in stolen bases. Ari Cordova is hitting .323 with 15 runs scored, 20 hits, five doubles, a triple, home run, 19 RBIs and is 16-for-18 in stolen base attempts. Abbey Ward is hitting .296 with 33 runs scored, 34 hits, nine doubles, one triple, home run, 10 RBIs and is 29-for-30 in stolen base attempts. Lexi Williams (24-for-29) and Alexis Dial (17-for-17) round out the double digit base stealers this season.

On the mound Gracie Rabe is 11-5 with a 2.17 ERA in 18 appearances, 13 starts for 90.1 innings with 52 strikeouts and opponents hitting .259. Sydney Righi is 4-2 with a 3.03 ERA in 18 appearances, 10 starts for 60.0 innings with 31 strikeouts and opponents hitting .298. Josie Harrison (5-4, 3.32 ERA) and Jayda VanAckeren (5-2, 5.33 ERA) have both started eight games this season with Harrison having 43 strikeouts and opponent hitting .250 in 50.2 innings and VanAckeren having 20 strikeouts and opponents hitting .316 in 46.0 innings of work.