SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist will look to take their third conference series of the season, having won two already, as they'll travel to Arkansas to begin a three-game series with Arkansas Tech on Friday.
Game one is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, while a doubleheader is set for Saturday, beginning at noon. All games will be played at the Chartwells Women's Sports Complex on the campus of ATU.
Friday will be the 22nd all-time matchup between the two clubs, with the Golden Suns holding a 13-8 advantage over the Bison. OBU won two of three, including a 14-3 run rule in five innings, last season in Shawnee.
The Bison are coming off a non-conference series with Southwest Baptist on Wednesday, where they won game one 5-4 before falling in the finale, 10-2.
Oklahoma Baptist is two games shy of tying last season's win total, finishing with a 21-20 overall record in 2021. OBU has garnered 18 wins thus far, including a 6-7 conference record that is seventh in the GAC standings.
OBU's power this season stems from the success coming out of the circle. Kayleigh Jones leads the pitching rotation with 165 strikeouts, ranking No. 1 in Division II, in 22 appearances. Jones is first in the conference in wins (12) and third in ERA (2.70). Jones and pitching companion, Aspen Younce, account for a majority of the team's nation-leading 260 strikeouts.
Samantha Campos steers a duo of Bison batting over .300, as her .344 average ranks just above Reagan Ford's .305. Campos' 20 RBIs, .581 slugging percentage, and four home runs come in at No. 2 on the team.
Jocee Sparks' seven homers are the most by a Bison since Demi Dobbs knocked 12 in the 2019 season. Sparks is slugging a team-high .619 while her 28 RBIs rank first on the squad.
Sammie Greene is up to 14 stolen basses, as she has made it safe on 100 percent of her attempts. After collecting a steal this past Wednesday, Greene has now charted a stolen base in four straight games. Her total leads the GAC and is the most by a Bison since Shelby Savage collected 22 in 2017.
Scouting the Golden Suns
Arkansas Tech enters the weekend with an 18-12 overall record, including a 9-5 league record. A week ago, Tech took their series against Southern Nazarene 2-1, highlighted by a 24-2 five-inning run rule in the second game of the series. ATU is 8-3 in their last 11 games and have won four straight conference series.
The Golden Suns have four batting over .300, Caitlyn Wells (.441), Tymber Riley (.432), Shelby Chavers (.349), and Kassie Mayberry (.310). Riley and Wells total a matching eight home runs and 41 hits. Batting .289, Makenzie Goins has a team-best 32 RBIs and ranks second with seven home runs.
Eight Golden Suns have seen action in the circle, led by Bailey Buffington's 57.0 innings pitched. Buffington has 56 strikeouts and a 2.46 ERA, while Shannon Lasey totals 49 strikeouts in 14 appearances. Maddy Prough wraps up ATU's consistent showings in the circle, racking up 41 strikeouts in 48.2 innings of action.
