After a week and a half without a game, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff softball team returns to action Wednesday afternoon.
UAPB will host Mississippi Valley State in a nonconference doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at the Torii Hunter Softball Complex.
With last weekend’s SWAC home series against Prairie View A&M being postponed due to weather, UAPB (9-18) hasn’t played since March 28, when the Lady Lions lost both games of a SWAC doubleheader at Grambling State.
Mississippi Valley (1-27) should provide UAPB with a nice warmup after the long layoff before returning to conference play this weekend. The Devilettes are in the SWAC East Division and thus do not play UAPB as part of the SWAC schedule.
Valley has lost 20 straight games entering Wednesday, having only defeated Division II opponent Bluefield (W.Va.) State on Feb. 21. UAPB dominated a previous doubleheader against the Devilettes on March 18 in Itta Bena, Miss. The Lady Lions won 10-1 and 11-3.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1881.
Outfielder and designated player Ariana Gonzalez hit a combined 4 for 7 with five runs batted in and three runs during the first doubleheader. Infielder Lyric Perry hit a combined 3 for 4 with five RBI and three runs, while outfielder Ryen Gaddis finished the day 3 for 6 with two RBI and three runs.
Valley has three batters with more than nine at-bats who are hitting .320 or better, with the rest hitting .196 or worse. The three in question are outfielders Michell Diaz and Taniya Partee and shortstop Sheridan Kynard.
UAPB held that trio to 1 for 7 with two walks, two strikeouts and a run in the first game against Valley. They improved somewhat in the second game, finishing a combined 3 for 7 with two RBI and a run with two walks and no strikeouts.
Diaz provided Valley with its lone hit in the first game of the doubleheader. One player outside the top three tallied a single hit in game two as UAPB pitching dominated.
UAPB has lost four of its six games since it last played Valley. The Lady Lions are 3-1 in midweek games, having split a home doubleheader against Division II foe Lincoln (Mo.) on March 10. The Lady Lions are 5-4 at home this season, while Valley is 0-10 in true road games.