SE Softball Clashes with Arkansas Tech Saturday and Sunday

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern welcomes the Golden Suns of Arkansas Tech to the Southeastern Softball Field on Mar. 15 and 16. SE and ATU are slated for a Saturday doubleheader, starting at 2 p.m., and will play a single game on Sunday at noon.
 
SERIES NOTES

• Arkansas Tech holds a slight advantage in the all-time series against Southeastern with a 28-27 record. Last season, the Golden Suns got the better of the blue and gold, taking all three games in Russellville.
• Southeastern has fared better at home against ATU with a 15-9 mark at the Southeastern Softball Field versus an 11-16 road record. The most recent meeting in Durant saw the blue and gold sweep Arkansas Tech back in 2023.

 
STORM WATCH
Southeastern carries a six-game win streak into the Arkansas Tech series following a sweep over East Central in a Tuesday doubleheader. Southeastern's wins over the Tigers move SE to 6-5 in conference play and 13-11 overall. The Storm blanked ECU in the first game, winning 6-0, and later won a 7-6 thriller on a walk-off to clinch the series wins over their rivals.
 
Emily Simmons (8-4) picked up two wins in the doubleheader against ECU, getting the start in the first game and coming in for relief in the second contest. The sophomore right-handed hurler threw a complete-game shutout in game one, with a season-high ten strikeouts, and threw the final 1.2 frames of game two to secure the win. This season, Simmons has 58 punchouts in 62.0 innings of work and has allowed 38 runs on 74 hits to carry a 3.84 ERA.
 
At the plate, India McMurray had two homers versus ECU and finished with four RBIs. The Dallas native leads the Storm with 21 RBIs this season and is tied for fourth in Division II with eight home runs, which also leads the GAC. SE's leading hitter, Iliana Olivares, tallied three hits across the doubleheader, bringing her to 30 on the season, and is batting .395 with 13 runs batted in. McMurray holds the highest batting average on the team, hitting .397 with 25 hits.
 
Statistically, Southeastern ranks in the top three across the GAC in hits (2^nd), doubles (2^nd) and home runs (1^st). SE has compiled 206 hits in 24 games and has racked up 39 doubles and 23 home runs. The blue and gold are batting .303 as a team and have scratched in 119 runs and totaled 314 bases. 
 
PREVIEWING ARKANSAS TECH
Arkansas Tech carries a season record of 12-14 overall, having gone 4-7 in the GAC through the early action. The Golden Suns have lost their last three games, including two recent defeats to No. 15 Harding on Tuesday. ATU has won two series so far, taking 2-of-3 from Northwestern Oklahoma State and Arkansas-Monticello.
 
The Golden Suns have a trio of hitters batting over .300 on the season, led by Savannah Snow with 25 hits on a .333 batting average. ATU has only tallied six home runs this season but has quickly racked up 38 doubles, as seven players have three or more. Kacie Gibbins and Maycie Hardy pace the side in extra-base hits with six doubles each, and both have a home run, while Gibbins leads the team in RBIs (17).
 
In the circle, ATU is led by Alexis Findley, who has 80 strikeouts in 75.0 innings of work and has allowed 38 runs on 61 hits for a 2.89 ERA. The senior from Wardsville, Mo. Carries a 6-6 record with nine complete games and has thrown two shutouts.