Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern Softball team is set to travel to Oklahoma to compete in the Raising Cane's Festival on February 16-18. 

February 16

Game One:
Teams: Missouri Southern vs Arkansas Tech
First Pitch: 10:30 AM
Location: Edmond, Okla.
Site: Gerry Pinkson Stadium

Game Two:
Teams: Missouri Southern vs Southern Nazarene
First Pitch: 3:00 PM
Location: Bethany, Okla.
Site: Tere Webber Field

February 17

Game One:
Teams: Missouri Southern vs Ouachita Baptist
First Pitch: 4:00 PM
Location: Piedmont, Okla.
Site: Piedmont High School

February 18

Game One:
Teams: Missouri Southern vs Southeastern Oklahoma State
First Pitch: 10:00 AM
Location: Bethnay, Okla.
Site: Tere Webber Field

Game Two:
Teams: Missouri Southern vs Southwestern Oklahoma State
First Pitch: 3:00 PM
Location: Edmond, Okla.
Site: Gerry Pinkston Stadium

Media Coverage
Live Video/Stats - mssulions.com/sports/softball/schedule
Lions on Facebook:  facebook.com/mososoftball
Lions on Twitter: @mssusoftball; @mososports
Lions on Instagram: @moso_softball

Scouting the Lions
The Missouri Southern softball program is off to a 8-2 record from the previous two weekends. The Lions recently competed in the Alvy Early Memorial Classic where they finished 3-2, defeating Truman State, 8-2, Missouri S&T, 7-3, and Southwest Baptist, 13-2, but losing their first games of the season to #8 Texas-Tyler, 1-0, and Illinois Springfield, 9-0.. Last season the Lions went 41-15, 21-5 MIAA and had nine named All-MIAA. This season the Lions returned eight position players and three pitchers from last season. In total the Lions have three seniors, nine juniors, five sophomores and four freshmen on the roster this season. 

Taylor Nuckolls leads the Lions in batting average with a .417. Nuckolls is also the Lions hit leader with 10 hits, two of which were triples and one double. On the mound, Kiki Pickens has thrown the most innings with 25.2 and has a 2.45 ERA. Pickens also leads the Lions in strikeouts with 33. 

Scouting the Golden Suns
The Arkansas Tech Golden Suns are off to a 5-2 start to their 2024 season after finishing 3-2 at the D2 First Pitch Invitational, followed by two wins at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic against Truman State, 9-1 (5 inn.), and Missouri Western, 4-0. Last season, in the first year under head coach Jordon Jones, the Golden Suns finished 28-24 overall and 17-15 in GAC play. The Golden Suns would qualify for the GAC Tournament as the No. 5-seed, but lost in the opening round to Southeastern Oklahoma, 4-0. Despite the sizable holes to fill, the Golden Suns do have the return services of 12 letterwinners from last year's team as well as the influx of talent from 12 newcomers.

Dana Lindsey and Savannah Snow lead the Golden Suns in batting average with a .500. Linsey is the Golden Suns current hit leader with 10 hits. On the mound, Bradi Basler has thrown the most innings with 25.0 and has a 1.68 ERA. Armendariz also leads the Patriots in strikeouts with 24.

Scouting the Storm
Southern Nazarene is an even 4-4 to begin their 2024 run. The Storm began their season 2-2 at the Mardi Gras Classic and followed that with another 2-2 showing at the UCO/OC Classic with wins over Maryville, 8-1, and Pittsburg State, 4-1, but taking losses to Rogers State, 8-0, and Central Oklahoma, 12-1. The Storm finished 25-28 last season and made it to the GAC semifinals where they lost to Southeastern Oklahoma State 3-1.

Hailey Evens leads the Storm in batting average with a .450. Evans also leads the Storm in hits with nine. On the mound, Janie Worthington has thrown the most innings with 19.0 and has a 1.84 ERA. Wooldridge also leads the Miners in strikeouts with 20, and has the best pitcher record going 2-0 this season.

Scouting the Tigers
The Ouachita Baptist Tigers are off to a 1-5 start to their season after an 0-4 start at the McGhee-Hawkins Invitational and a 1-1 split doubleheader to Delta State. This is the second time the Lions will face the Tigers, run-ruling them in five innings the first time, 13-0. Ouachita finished the 2023 season with a 13-37 overall record. The Tigers won one Great American Conference series on the season, the first of the year against Southwestern Oklahoma State. The Tigers opened the season with new head coach Jeff Jackson out of Dallas-Fort Worth.

Erin Williams leads the Tigers in batting average with a .556. Williams also leads the Tigers for hit leader with 10 hits. On the mound, Hannah Hunter has thrown the most innings with 15.1 and has a 11.41 ERA. Hunter also leads the Tigers in strikeouts with nine.

Scouting the Savage Storm
The Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm begin the 2024 season with a 3-5 record. The Savage Storm began the season at the Mardi Gras Invitational where they went 1-3 with a win over Delta State and three consecutive losses to Mississippi College, Union and Augustana (SD). The Storm most recently competed in the Alvy Early Classic where they split with a 2-2 record with wins over William Jewell, 5-4, and Drury, 12-1 (5 inn.), and losses to Washburn, 5-2, and Central Missouri, 3-2. The Savage Storm finished the 2023 season with a 33-27 record overall and a 23-10 mark in GAC play and made its postseason run as the fourth seed in the conference tournament, earning a berth in the NCAA Central Regional.

Sage Harlow leads the Savage Storm in batting average with a .481. Harlow also leads the Storm for hit leader with 13 hits. On the mound, Emily Simmons has thrown the most innings with 18.0 and has a 5.06 ERA. Simmons also leads the Savage Storm in strikeouts with 16.

Scouting the Bulldogs
The Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs are off to a 2-5 start to their season after splitting the Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament 2-2 with wins over Northeastern State and Northwest Missouri and losses Missouri Southern, 9-1 (6 inn.), and Missouri S&T. The Bulldogs most recently competed in the Mustang Round-Up where they went 0-3 with losses to Cameron, 5-1, Northwest Missouri, 13-8, and Fort Hays State, 4-0. The Bulldogs finished last year with a 12-40 overall record and captured seven of those in conference play. 

Jadyn Hook leads the Bulldogs in batting average with a .400. Hook and Skyla Phillips are tied for hit leader with eight hits. On the mound, Blaire Gentry has thrown the most innings with 25.1 and has a 2.21 ERA. Gentry also leads the Bulldogs in strikeouts with 11.