No. 15 Fort Hays State Softball welcomes Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist to Tiger Stadium this weekend to begin MIAA conference play.  FHSU will take on UCM on Sunday, March 9 in a doubleheader scheduled for Noon and 2 p.m., followed by Monday's (March 10) doubleheader at 1 and 3 p.m. against SBU.
 
The Tigers (10-5) are hitting .313 as a team, led by Rilee Krier's .408 batting average.  Krier has six stolen bases this season, second on the team behind Bianca Adame's seven swipes.  Adame and Krier are two of six Tigers hitting above the .300 mark.  Kylie Strand (.386) and Amanda Vaupel (.256) lead the team with two home runs apiece, joining Courtney Dobson (.333) and Danie Brinkmann (.325) with four doubles.  Brinkmann's 10 RBI is a team-high. 
 
Katlyn Kern's 0.41 ERA in 13.2 innings pitched is a team-best, while Kelsey Kimminau (3.05 ERA) and Paxton Duran (3.35 ERA) have shared 75 innings pitched.  Duran (5-3) leads the team with 36 strikeouts in 39.2 innings thrown, while Kimminau's 4-1 record has come with 28 strikeouts.
 
Central Missouri (5-5) is .500 through two early season tournaments, led offensively by Alex Groeger's .457 average that includes seven RBI and four doubles.  At the Arkansas-Monticello 8-State Classic, UCM's Jakki Prater hit .455 with six home runs and 14 RBI to lead the team.  In the circle, Prater is 5-1 on the season with 22 strikeouts and a 4.88 ERA in 31.1 innings.
 
Southwest Baptist, picked last in the MIAA preseason poll, is 2-8 through the season's first 10 games, with four players hitting over .400.  Raigan Ratliff, hitting .414, has started all 10 games and leads the team with five doubles.  Her six RBI is second on the team behind Caitlyn Cooner (.364 average, 10 RBI, three doubles).  From the pitching rubber, Kyra Parker (6.75 ERA) and Kacey Ayers (7.20 ERA) have each thrown over 25 innings, with Parker leading the team in strikeouts (21).