CONWAY, Ark. – Fresh off of a series sweep over Bellarmine, the Central Arkansas softball team (22-15, 7-5 ASUN) heads to Springfield, Mo., for a midweek clash against the Missouri State Bears (16-14, 9-3 MVC). First pitch between the Bears is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Killian Stadium.
 
Central Arkansas moved into a tie for first place in the ASUN West after its series against the Knights, improving to 7-5 in conference play, tied with Jacksonville State for the top spot in the division.
 
The effort in the circle was the driving force behind the sweep this past weekend, as Kayla Beaver and Jordan Johnson combined to dominate the Knights all weekend long. Beaver opened the weekend with a four-strikeout effort to take a 5-2 win that moved her to third in the conference with 13 wins. In the second game of Saturday and Sunday's matchup, Johnson came in and was locked in from the first pitch. Racking up 22 strikeouts over her two games, she became the fifth pitcher in Central Arkansas history to eclipse 300 career Ks, hitting the mark with her 12^th and final ring up on Saturday.
 
Johnson also leads the ASUN in strikeouts this season, tallying 116 through 18 appearances. Also in the top five, Beaver sits at 95 Ks on the year, placing the team at the top of the conference in strikeouts per seven innings at 6.84.
 
At the plate, Kylie Griffin has really come into her own as conference season has started to take shape. Through 12 ASUN games, the freshman has led the team in batting, hitting .382 and providing a much-needed boost of consistency in the middle of the lineup. Jaylee Engelkes has also been a bit hitter for the Bears, leading the team with eight home runs on the season, including four in conference play.
 
Hosting the Bears on Tuesday, the Missouri State Bears enter the week after sweeping Indiana State this past weekend. Outscoring the Sycamores 15-5 over three games, the Bears picked up a pair of shutouts in the first and last games of the series, both by Steffany Dickerson. In game three, Dickerson tossed a three-hit shutout, striking out three batters en route to her 11^th win of the season.
 
On the season, Dickerson leads the pitching corps with a 2.09 ERA, striking out 101 batters in 114.0 innings of work. The senior allows hitters a .218 batting average, and is responsible for four solo shutouts and one combined shutout. She has nine complete games to her name in 2022, adding a pair of saves.
 
At the top of the hitting chart, Daphne Plummer provides a solid bat and a pair of wheels on the bases, hitting .388 with 18 stolen bases. Alex Boze provides the power in the lineup, batting .356 with nine home runs on the year.
 
First pitch against the Bears is set for 5 p.m. at Killian Stadium. Live stats are available here.