DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern continues its road swing at Arkansas Tech on March 13 and 14. The Savage Storm and Golden Suns open with a doubleheader on Friday, March 13, at 3 p.m. and will play a single game on Saturday at noon.
SERIES NOTES
- SE lost the series to ATU at home last season, as the Golden Suns took two of three. The blue and gold trail Arkansas Tech in the all-time series 32-29, and will be looking for its first series win in Russellville since 2014.
STORM REPORT
Southeastern rallied on the road at Alva to pick up its third GAC series win this season. SE dropped the first game to Northwestern before sweeping the doubleheader by scores of 9-5 and 2-1. The wins move SE to 12-13 overall and 6-3 in the league standings, where the Storm are tied for third after three weekends of play.
Susan Edwards led the team at the plate during the NWOSU series, with seven hits in 11 plate appearances, and recorded three runs scored and two doubles. The sophomore centerfielder ranks seventh in the GAC in hitting, with 40 hits on a .426 average, and she has a team-high 21 runs scored and two triples. As a team, Southeastern is batting .297 and has registered 117 runs on 210 hits that include 33 doubles, three triples and 17 home runs.
Emily Simmons had a big weekend in the circle and at the plate, racking up two wins across 11.2 innings of work and four RBIs behind a home run and double. After the two wins, Simmons improved to 4-4 on the year in 14 appearances and seven starts. In addition, the junior right-handed hurler added nine strikeouts to her totals against the Rangers, bringing her to 35 this season, which ranks second-best on the team.
The Storm carries a 4.37 ERA through 25 games, with 129 strikeouts across 173.0 innings. The SE pitching staff is led by
Alyson Malone, who holds a 2.45 ERA with 21 runs allowed on 44 hits and has totaled a team-high 49 strikeouts. Across the GAC, Southeastern ranks ninth in pitching with a 4.37 ERA and has pitched the most innings of any team this season (173.0). Helping support Simmons and Malone in the circle is sophomore
Trinity Oden. Oden leads the team with ten starts and is 3-5 with a 4.80 ERA and 28 punchouts across 46.2 innings.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS TECH
Arkansas Tech enters the weekend series 13-8 overall and 6-3 in the GAC standings after sweeping Arkansas-Monticello. The Golden Suns gave up just three runs over the three games to outscore the Blossoms 16-3. All three of ATU's conference losses so far came on the road at then-No. 10 Southern Arkansas, as the Golden Suns swept Northwestern Oklahoma State to begin the season.
The Golden Suns feature one of the top arms in the GAC, as Aly White ranks fourth in the GAC and leads ATU with a 1.78 ERA in 51.0 innings pitched. White holds a 7-3 record in 12 appearances and has struck out 32 batters while allowing 24 runs on 53 hits. Offensively, the Arkansas Tech lineup is paced by Anna Winkfield with 20 hits on a .333 average, and has recorded four home runs and 15 RBIs. Caroline Wilhelm leads the sides with five doubles and two triples for 18 total hits.
