Fort Hays State softball opens up MIAA play this weekend with back-to-back doubleheaders. The first will be a Friday (Mar. 4) matchup against Central Missouri at 12 pm and the second will be Saturday (Mar. 5) when FHSU takes on Southwest Baptist. The Tigers have won four out of their last five games and enter the weekend at 6-7 overall.
 
Central Missouri comes to town with an overall record of 7-8 after being picked to finish third in the MIAA. The Mules currently sit fifth in the MIAA in team pitching as their three pitchers share a combined 3.15 ERA. The Mules swept the Tigers in 2015 winning two regular season games and a first round meeting in the MIAA tournament.
 
Southwest Baptist takes on Nebraska-Kearney for two games on Friday before heading to Hays on Saturday. The Bearcats will enter the weekend at 5-9 overall. SBU brings with them one of the top pitchers in the MIAA, Kacey Ayers. Ayers is currently third in the MIAA in ERA at 1.43 and holds opponents to just a .204 batting average. Offensively the Bearcats have struggled to a .221 average as a team and only 2.29 runs per game.
 
The Tigers are led by the dual threat Paxton Duran. Duran is 5-3 in the circle this year with a 3.63 ERA and currently sits third in the MIAA in strikeouts with 56. She also leads the team offensively with a .429 average, and a .679 on-base percentage. Rilee Krier has put together an excellent start offensively as well with a .375 batting average and is tied for the team lead in runs scored with eight, while Tori Beltz provides pop in the middle of the lineup with a team-high four home runs.