SE Heads North to Clash with Rivals East Central

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern begins its final stretch of the season with a trip north to Ada, Okla., to battle rivals East Central in a three-game GAC series. The Savage Storm and Tigers open the series with a doubleheader on Friday, April 23, at 3 p.m. and will play a single game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
SERIES NOTES

• SE has just two losses to ECU in the last 16 meetings and has won the last five series over the Tigers. Southeastern leads the all-time matchup 85-32 and is 18-5 in the previous 23 trips to Ada.

 
STORM REPORT
Southeastern (19-25, 11-15 GAC) was bested in its series against then-No. 10 Southern Arkansas last time out. The Savage Storm and Muleriders played just two games after the finale was canceled due to weather damage, and SAU got the better of SE in the doubleheader to take the series. Following the pair of defeats, Southeastern is 11-15 in the GAC standings and sits seventh with two series remaining in the season.
 
Susan Edwards remains one of the top hitters in the league, as she ranks third in the GAC with 58 hits on a .377 average. Edwards has come home to 34 runs behind her team-high hits and also paces the lineup with 12 doubles and two triples. Iliana Olivares recently surpassed 50 hits (51) on the year to make it consecutive seasons with 50 hits. Southeastern holds the third-best batting average in the conference at a .292 clip and has tallied 356 and 202 runs, while averaging 4.5 runs per game.
 
The Storm have been one of the better extra-base hit teams in the GAC, ranking in the top five in doubles and home runs. SE has knocked in 60 doubles this season and has 34 homers that have helped lead to 524 total bases. India McMurray and Emily Simmons combine to lead the team in home runs, as McMurray ranks third in the conference with 13 and Simmons has seven. The duo also pace the RBI efforts, with Simmons pacing the lineup with 38 and McMurray totaling 29 runs batted in.
 
The SE pitching staff carries a 4.36 ERA into the penultimate GAC series, led by Alyson Malone and E. Simmons with seven wins in the circle and over 20 appearances. Malone leads the team with 79 strikeouts, which is a new season-high for the junior, surpassing her totals from 2024 (38) and 2025 (47). The Pottsboro, Texas native has a 2.76 ERA and three shutouts, while E. Simmons has racked up 54 punchouts in 89.0 innings of work and has a 4.72 ERA.
 
SCOUTING EAST CENTRAL
The Tigers recently got back to winning ways, picking up a home sweep against Arkansas-Monticello to move to 16-31 overall and 8-19 in the GAC. The series win over UAM is East Central's third conference series win and first sweep this season, following wins over Northwestern and Southwestern Oklahoma State earlier this year.
 
Leading the way for the ECU lineup is Elyse LeClair, who is batting a team-high .374 with 55 hits and 26 runs scored. LeClair is one of three players with six or more doubles this season, while Hannah Whitaker has scattered a team-best nine across 35 hits, and is tied for a high of 21 runs driven in with Kenni Tudor. The Tigers have relied on a committee of pitchers this season, led by Bradi Odom with a 3.32 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 17 appearances.