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SENIOR WEEKEND #7 Arkansas Tech (39-6, 29-5 GAC) at SWOSU (16-30, 14-22 GAC) Friday, April 15, 2:00 pm (DH) Saturday, April 16, 12:00 pm (DH) Live Stats  |  Watch Live

Setting the Stage
- With two weekend series remaining, the SWOSU Softball (16-30, 14-22 GAC) continues their push to qualify for the GAC Tournament for the first time since 2013
- SWOSU welcomes Arkansas Tech, the No. 7-ranked team in the latest NFCA Top 25 poll, to Weatherford on Friday and Saturday for Senior Weekend at the Athletic Complex
- The series will begin on Friday afternoon with a doubleheader at 2:00 pm to be followed with a noon twin bill on Saturday
- The Bulldogs enter the weekend in ninth place in the conference standings, one game behind Southern Nazarene for the final spot in the postseason tournament, which will be played in Bentonville, Arkansas on April 28-30
 
The Opponent
#7 Arkansas Tech (39-6, 29-5 GAC)
- Dropped from fifth to seventh in the latest Top 25 poll, announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) on Wednesday
- Led by the reigning NFCA National Pitcher of the Week, Jalissa Gum, who has not surrendered an earned run in her last 27.2 innings of work
- Tech ranks second in the GAC in team batting with a .316 average as a team and they're also second in team pitching with a 1.80 team ERA
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Barbara Burnett (24-67, 2nd season)
- In her second season as the head coach at her alma mater, having taken over after four seasons as the head softball coach at Independence Community College
 
Arkansas Tech: Kristina McSweeney (137-78, 4th season)
- Has the Golden Suns on the verge of their second straight 40-win season and she's now in her fourth season at ATU after four seasons as the head coach at Seminole State
 
SWOSU Notes
- The Bulldogs enter the weekend one game behind SNU for the final spot in the GAC Tournament and they need to be one game better than the Crimson Storm over the last eight games to claim that final position
- Taya Haney needs one RBI to tie the SWOSU single-season record of 43, which was set last season by Adrienne Martinez
- Haney is also climbing other top-ten lists, ranking seventh in home runs (8) and ninth in doubles (12)
- Tori Hawk has joined Haney in her pursuit, ranking third in single-season home runs (9) and tied for ninth in doubles (12)
- Miranda West has drawn a team-high 23 walks this season, needing two more to tie the single-season record of 25, which was also set by Adrienne Martinez last season
- SWOSU will honor their three seniors – Emily Garcia, Ashley Jones & Samantha Perry – in between games of the Saturday doubleheader
 
Looking Ahead
- SWOSU Softball concludes the 2016 regular season next weekend with a four-game series on the road against Harding in Searcy, Arkansas