Softball prepares for a three-game series against Central Arkansas at home this weekend, after the Wildcats hit a small setback in Huntsville last weekend when they dropped 2-of-3 to the Bearkats.
ACU still heads into the weekend ranked second to McNeese State with a 28-18 record and a conference record of 16-5. Central Arkansas stands at 20-30 and 10-11 in conference play.
“We need to come out and play ACU softball and focus on scoring early in the game,” senior Casey May-Huff said.
Seniors Huff and Alli Spivey said they are ready to go for the series, as just six regular-season games remain for them as Wildcats.
“We just have to do the little things and play our game,” Spivey said. “We need to string our hits together in order to score runs,” she said.
The Bears are led offensively by Kaylyn Shepherd and Briana Whisenhunt. Freshmen first basemen Shepherd bats .315 and senior outfielder Whisenhunt bats .310. Senior pitcher Kayla Gomness is 13-15 and posts a 2.40 ERA. Sophomore Ellie Reaves is second on the team with a 3-8 record and double up pitcher/third basemen is 3-4 and has 10 hits.
“UCA is a good team, they will put the ball in play and they’re a pretty good defensive team, ” junior Peyton Hedrick said. “To make the NIT a few different things need to happen, but we need to win these last six games for sure to give us a chance to get in. Last weekend we didn’t hit well, so we need our offense back and to score more runs. When we get runners on base, we need to score them.”
The series is ACU’s second to last series of the season, pending on whether it receives a bid to the NIT tourney.
“They’re a good team. They’ve got great pitching so our approach is going to have to be more aggressive early on,” Huff said. “And then on defense we will need to make the routine plays to help our pitchers out.”
The series begins at 5 p.m. on Friday with a game following immediately after at 7. The series wraps up at 12 p.m. at Poly Wells Field. ACU will then prepare for the season finale series against Stephen F. Austin.
