WINFIELD, Kan. — The Southwestern College softball team will return to action at home Friday afternoon, looking to snap a nine-game losing streak as it hosts Bethany College in a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) doubleheader.
The Moundbuilders (9-25, 1-20 KCAC) have shown flashes of potential offensively, led by junior catcher Tiara Henry, who boasts a team-best .318 batting average with 27 hits, seven extra-base knocks, and 15 RBIs. Junior outfielder Reagan Wright has also provided steady production, hitting .307 and swiping a team-high eight bases. Southwestern enters the matchup batting .260 as a team while averaging just under three runs per contest.
In the circle, sophomore Faith Campbell anchors the staff with 74.1 innings pitched, one win, and a 6.87 ERA. Freshman Morgan Shaw has added two wins over 60 innings, but the Builders' pitching corps continues to battle through struggles, holding a team ERA of 8.59.
Southwestern will be challenged by a Bethany team still seeking consistency of its own. The Swedes (15-23, 5-15 KCAC) are led offensively by Laney Bean (.314 BA) and Kaitlyn McCall (.286 BA), while McCall also contributes in the circle with 66.1 innings pitched and a 4.33 ERA. As a team, Bethany holds a .277 batting average and has clubbed 17 home runs — significantly outpacing the Builders' total of three.
Defensively, Southwestern has committed 57 errors in 32 games, holding a .930 fielding percentage. Continued improvement in that area will be critical in slowing down a Bethany offense that has shown the ability to capitalize on miscues.
The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. at Broadway Recreation Complex. With only a handful of games remaining in the regular season, Friday's matchup offers Southwestern a chance to build momentum and earn its second conference win.
