Fort Hays State Softball heads to Emporia, Kansas on Friday (Mar. 5) for a pair of neutral site games at Trusler Sports Complex, part of the 5-State Classic hosted by Emporia State University. The Tigers will take on Missouri-St. Louis at 12:30 p.m. on Turnbull Field, then Wayne State (Neb.) at 5:30 p.m. on Cannon Field.
 
Coverage
Both games Friday will have live score updates on FHSU Softball's Twitter account. Emporia State is currently working through some technical issues with internet at their facility, so there may be a possibility the 12:30 pm game vs. Missouri-St. Louis will have a live stream and live stats if the technical issues can be resolved. A status of availability will be made on Twitter prior to the game on Friday. The 5:30 pm game will have Twitter updates only.
 
Tiger Notes
The Tigers enter the weekend 4-8 overall. FHSU is looking for its first daily sweep of a pair of games this season, earning daily splits four times so far. FHSU fell to both Missouri-St. Louis and Wayne State last weekend in Topeka, both in low-scoring close contests. The Tigers fell 3-1 to UMSL and 3-2 to WSC. Only three of the six total runs allowed to both teams were earned.
 
Through 12 games this season, Grace Philop leads the team in batting average at .361 and RBIs with seven. She is tied for the team lead with Sara Breckbill in hits, both with 13, but Breckbill has two more at bats this season and holds a strong .342 batting average. Sarah Tiffany leads the Tigers in extra-base hits with six this season, which includes four doubles, one triple, and one home run.
 
Hailey Chapman leads the pitching staff in ERA (2.14), innings pitched (39.1), and strikeouts (31). Michaelanne Nelson is right behind with a 2.18 ERA, 35.1 innings pitched, and 29 strikeouts. FHSU carries a team ERA of 2.34 so far this season.
 
Opponent Notes
Missouri-St. Louis
The Tritons now hold a 4-2 advantage in the all-time series with FHSU after the win last week in Topeka. All but one of the six contests in the all-time series between the teams has been decided by two runs or less. Sara Breckbill knocked in the only run for FHSU in the 3-1 loss last Saturday on a double. She was the only Tiger with two hits in that game. Two of the three runs allowed by Michaelanne Nelson in the loss were earned.
 
Wayne State
FHSU still holds a healthy lead in the all-time series with Wayne State, despite the 3-2 setback last Sunday. Four of the last six meetings between FHSU and WSC have been decided by only one run. Jessica Espinoza and Grace Philop had RBIs in the loss on Sunday and Lily Sale had two hits in that contest. Only one of the three runs allowed by Hailey Chapman was earned and she struck out six in a complete game effort.