WEATHERFORD – Both SWOSU Baseball and Softball find themselves needing wins against Arkansas Monticello this weekend with six conference games left in the regular season and the playoff hopes for both still in question. Both Bulldog squads currently sit under the playoff line in the conference standings, but within striking distance, entering the penultimate weekend of play.
Baseball
SWOSU (23-19, 13-14 GAC) sits ninth in the GAC standings, one game behind Oklahoma Baptist for the eighth and final playoff spot. The kicker: OKB took two of three from the Dawgs two weeks ago and would hold a tiebreaker should the two finish the season with the same conference record.
The Bison travel to Henderson State this weekend before closing the year out with Southern Nazarene at home the following week.
Arkansas Monticello, SWOSU's opponent this weekend, is tied for second with an 18-9 record in the GAC. The Boll Weevils have hosted four league foes so far this season and have earned series victories in all four.
On paper, SWOSU and UAM look similar. The Bulldogs are hitting .304 as a team, while holding a 6.10 team ERA on the mound. Jackson Syring, fresh off a four-home run game against Newman, leads the league with 17 doubles and is one of three in the Bulldog lineup hitting above .350 this season. (Marco Barrera; .380, Geoff Marlow; .353)
The Weevils are hitting right at .300 led by Camden Tanner who leads the GAC with a .420 batting average. He's doubled 13 times, has nine home runs, and 33 RBI. UAM holds a 5.98 team ERA.
Game one begins Friday at 2:00 pm in Monticello, Arkansas. The series will conclude Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.
Softball
The Bulldogs, with an 8-19 league record, enter the weekend in 10th place and three games back from Henderson State who holds the final postseason spot.
SWOSU sits one game behind East Central, who is ninth and also in playoff contention, but would hold a tiebreaker against the Tigers after winning that series back in Weatherford 2-1. ECU travels to Harding and hosts UAM the final two weeks of their season.
Currently in the coveted eighth spot, Henderson State must travel to league-leading Oklahoma Baptist coming up before closing out the season with a head-to-head matchup with SWOSU in Arkadelphia. Depending on how chips fall, the Bulldogs could be facing the Reddies next week with a chance to overtake them in the standings.
We can't get to that point though, without success from the Bulldogs this weekend. SWOSU welcomes Arkansas Monticello and in need of wins. The Blossoms enter with a 13-14 GAC record and are in seventh in the standings.
UAM bats .265 as a team led by Bailey Camp at .344. Mallory Pitre (8-10; 3.50 ERA; 122 IP) highlights a pitching staff that has a 4.45 team ERA.
SWOSU is batting .271 on the year and has a 4.49 team ERA. Jadyn Hook's .377 average leads the team and her 52 hits this season is third in the conference. The duo of Blaire Gentry (3.34 ERA) and Courtney Hill (4.43) in the circle has seen 19 complete games between the two.
Five seniors will be honored on Saturday in the final home game of the year: Rebeca Fajardo, Dani Carmo, Jordyn Wadley, Courtney Hill, and Cierah Jones.
Games one and two take place Friday beginning at 2:00 pm in Weatherford. Senior Day is set to commence at noon unless rain alters that schedule.
