CONWAY, Ark. – Back at home for the next four games, the Central Arkansas softball team defends home turf against Florida Gulf Coast this weekend, playing a doubleheader on Friday at 4 p.m. and a single game on Saturday at 11 a.m.
 
The Bears enter the weekend 24-8 on the year with an 8-1 record in ASUN play. Last time out, Central Arkansas swept the Jacksonville Dolphins, taking all three games in the Sunshine State. Jordan Johnson and Kayla Beaver were electric in the series, combining for a staff ERA of 0.67, allowing just two runs in three games with two shutouts. Jacksonville batted just .145 against the duo, recording only ten total hits.
 
For Central Arkansas, Tremere Harris has batted .464 in conference play, leading the team with 13 hits and three doubles, while swiping six bases in nine games. The Conway native is one of five Bears with 25 hits this season, and is currently in a three-way tie for team-lead with 29. She also took over as the team leader in stolen bases after swiping three times over the weekend; she now leads the team with 13 steals in 14 attempts.
 
Johnson and Beaver continue their warpath through opposing lineups, holding a combined ERA of 1.64 in the regular season. The pair has the Bears atop the conference in ERA, shutouts (9) and strikeouts (217). Individually, Beaver ranks third in ERA, first in shutouts, second in strikeouts, and second in wins. Johnson, for her part, ranks fifth in ERA, fourth in shutouts, third in strikeouts and fourth in wins.
 
Florida Gulf Coast travels to Conway with a 24-16 record with a 6-3 showing in conference. This past weekend saw the Eagles take two of three at home against Austin Peay, splitting day one's doubleheader before walking off Sunday's rubber match. Neely Peterson was the hero in game three, battling to a full count in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, before blasting her third homer of the season to walk it off.
 
Tayli Filla leads the team in a number of categories, including batting average (.342), hits (41), doubles (10) and home runs (4). She is also one of five players on FGCU to steal at least ten bases. The Eagles fly around the basepaths, swiping 96 bases this season, the eighth-most in the country and by far the most in the ASUN.
 
But running isn't the only thing FGCU can do, the Eagles sit tied with the Bears for first in shutouts, with four of the nine coming in conference games. FGCU is also the only other ASUN school to pull off a triple play this season, in addition to Central Arkansas.
 
First pitch against the Eagles is set for Friday at 4 p.m., followed immediately by game two. The third game of the series is set for 11 a.m. on Saturday. All three games will be on ESPN+, with live stats available for each game as well.