SHAWNEE, Okla. – SWOSU Softball is preparing for their Easter weekend series against No. 23 Oklahoma Baptist in Shawnee. The series moves up a day from the normal schedule due to the holiday weekend. A Thursday 5:00 pm game will kick off the series and a Friday doubleheader serves as the end.
 
After splitting their midweek doubleheader with Newman, SWOSU goes into the weekend 2-1 in their last three. In that doubleheader, SWOSU's bats were hot. They knocked 24 hits and scored nine runs in the two games. OBU looks to be a tough opponent but one that SWOSU knows well. Head Coach Jessica Boone spent last season on the Lady Bison staff and this will be her first return visit since departing.
 
Oklahoma Baptist enters the weekend 30-9 and 15-5 in GAC action. They are in a three-way tie for the best record in the conference at 15-5 with Harding and Southeastern Oklahoma State. A big reason for their success is Kayleigh Jones. She leads the GAC in almost every pitching statistic. Wins, appearances, complete games, innings pitched, ERA, strikeouts, etc. They also have the GAC batting average leader, Emily Adler, on the roster. This matchup's 2022 series was a wild one. It included two extra-inning games, two walk off wins by SWOSU, the stoppage of a game due to light, and a four-run comeback for SWOSU in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one. If history repeats itself, these three games should be very entertaining.
 
Just like last week, both starting pitchers for SWOSU picked up wins. Taryn Westbrook claimed a 4-3 win over SNU in the series finale on Saturday and Brianna Cryer added another win after defeating Newman 4-3 in their midweek game. Cryer threw well in her win, only allowing four hits and one run while striking out a season high five Jets over her 5.1 innings in the game.
 
Maddie Rahon and Kaylee Barkley were on fire in the opening game of the Newman doubleheader. They combined to hit 6-7 and scored all four of the Bulldog runs in the game. Barkley added an RBI and a walk as well. Extra base hits propelled SWOSU in the two games. Six of them were totaled in the win and three came in the close 6-5 loss in game two.