FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Back in action for postseason softball, the Bears start the National Invitational Softball Championship midday Sunday. After the first round on Saturday, Central Arkansas is set to face Kansas in the second round.
 
With games having been postponed due to the possibility of inclement weather, it has been nine days since last the Bears took the field. Looking to end the season on a high note, Central Arkansas takes a 35-20 record into the tournament.
 
The Bears will trot out one of the most balanced teams in the field, with a potent offense and an elite pitching staff able to create problems for teams in multiple phases of the game. Boasting a team batting average of .305, Central Arkansas rolls out hitting up and down the lineup, with four hitters over the .300 mark, led by Tremere Harris' .400. The duo of Harris and Jenna Wildeman have created problems at the top of the lineup all season, as the pair combined for 136 hits, 100 runs and stolen 64 bases.
 
Behind the speed at the top of the lineup comes hitters that have excelled at driving in runs, with the next three batters have combined for 135 runs. Mary Kate Brown has been the main beneficiary, driving in 54 runs on the year, just two shy of Central Arkansas' single-season record. Jaylee Engelkes has been the heavy hitter in the lineup, blasting 11 home runs, a number that also sits just one shy of tying the school's single-season record.
 
Not to be outshone, Central Arkansas brings some fire in the circle behind the duo of Jordan Johnson and Kayla Beaver. Johnson led the ASUN in strikeouts this past season, ringing up 179 batters en route to 14 wins. Johnson also tossed a pair of no-hitters, throwing her third-career perfect game against Saint Louis at the beginning of the season before throwing a no-no against Jacksonville State to close the regular season. Beaver led the conference in wins, earning 19 wins in the circle while tossing 20 complete games and recording three shutouts. The duo each logged sub-2.55 ERAs, with Beaver maintaining a 2.26.
 
Kansas entered the tournament as the 12 seed, needing a first-round win to advance to have the chance to face the Bears. After a 17-33 season, the Jayhawks picked up a 4-3 win against George Washington to advance to Sunday's second round in the winner's side of the bracket. Despite their record, the Jayhawks come in with a number of high-quality wins, including over Baylor, Missouri and Nebraska.
 
Catcher Lyric Moore led the team in batting average entering the tournament, hitting .362, one of three players that hit north of the .300 mark. Hitting for power, Kansas hit 46 home runs as a team, with four Jayhawks sending five or more long balls out of the park.
 
Playing in an ubercompetitive Big 12, pitching wasn't necessarily Kansas' strong suit. With just 16 wins entering the weekend, the staff ERA was 5.43, as the Kansas pitching corps allowed opponents to hit .306 on the year, with 102 extra base hits. The Jayhawks also committed 78 errors on the year, more than 40 errors more than Central Arkansas.
 
First pitch against the Jayhawks is set for noon on Sunday. This game, and all games of the NISC, will be streamed on FloSports, a subscription service. Live stats are available here.