HBU Huskies (15-23, 7-13 SLC) at Central Arkansas (32-17, 13-8 SLC)
April 29-30
Farris Field • Conway, Ark.
Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes
CONWAY, Ark. – The HBU softball team continues Southland Conference play, visiting Central Arkansas in a three-game series across April 29-30. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Friday, starting at 6 p.m., before closing with a noon first pitch on Saturday.
Expected inclement weather has forced an alteration to the original series format of a single game on Friday and doubleheader on Saturday, and may force more adjustments across the weekend.
The Legacy Sports Network with Bill Cousins will carry the audio broadcast for all three games on HBUHuskies.com. Live stats will also be available at UCASports.com.
Overall, senior pitcher
Laci Belovsky leads the Huskies in the circle, owning an 8-14 record and 4.24 ERA through 28 appearances and 22 starts. Belovsky, who is tied for the league lead with 17 complete games, has a staff-best 51 strikeouts across 145 and a third innings pitched.
At the plate, freshman shortstop
Savana Guidry leads the team with a .342 batting average. Senior third baseman
Shay Orsak (.324) and sophomore utility player
Libby Brown (.316) are also hitting above .300, respectively. Freshman second baseman
Demi Janak leads HBU with a .548 slugging percentage, seven home runs and 21 RBI, while Orsak holds the team mark with eight doubles.
The Huskies, currently eighth in the standings, are still vying for a spot in the upcoming SLC Tournament with six conference games to go. With Abilene Christian ineligible for the tournament while still in transition to NCAA Division I status, HBU is only a half-game back of seventh place Sam Houston State for the final seed.
UCA, under the guidance of head coach David Kuhn, enters the series with a 32-17 overall record and 13-8 mark in SLC play, sitting fifth in the standings. The Sugar Bears swept series against Northwestern State and at Southeastern Louisiana, prior to dropping a 2-1 series decision to Lamar their last time out. This weekend's series wraps up UCA's home schedule, as Friday serves as "Senior Day" for the Sugar Bears.
UCA junior outfielder Briana Whisenhunt leads the team with a .320 batting average, while senior third baseman Sam Forrest is hitting .304. The Sugar Bears are batting .249 as a team.
UCA has rolled with three pitchers on the season. Junior Kayla Gomness (10-4, 2.89 ERA) and senior Shivaun Landeros (19-11, 3.67 ERA) have split starter duties, while freshman Nicole Fullilove (2-2, 6.61 ERA) has seen most of her time in relief. The Sugar Bears hold a 3.74 collective ERA.
UCA holds a 5-4 all-time edge, claiming a 2-1 series win over the Huskies last season at Husky Field. However, HBU is 2-1 at Farris Field.
Following the weekend, the Huskies will conclude conference play and the regular season with a three-game series at Abilene Christian across May 6-7.
