CONWAY, Ark. – Fresh after a home weekend, the Central Arkansas softball team heads back on the road for its fourth tournament of the season, playing in SIU's Coach B Classic on Friday and Saturday. The Bears will play Purdue (2:30 p.m.) and Southern Illinois (4 p.m.) on Friday, before playing Purdue Fort Wayne (11 a.m.) and SIU (4 p.m.) on Saturday.
 
The Bears (5-8) picked up three home wins last weekend, getting the bats going at Farris Field after a tough start on the road. After reaching six hits in just three of the first nine games, the Bears collected six or more hits in all four games, including a season-best 15 against SIUE. Two Bears put together four-game hitting streaks at home, with Addie Graham (9-for-14) and Lilly Hood (5-for-14).
 
Thirteen games into the season, Kylie Griffin continues to hold the top average on the team, hitting .372 across 43 at bats. The senior has also proven to be one of the toughest strikeouts in the country, with only one K to her name this season. She helped Central Arkansas improve its batting average by 47 points over the weekend, and produced a good showing in front of Bear Nation.
 
SIU has had a tough schedule to start the year, and a 1-12 record doesn't tell the entire story. With losses to teams like Auburn, Mississippi State, Kansas and Texas State, the Salukis have faced a gauntlet early on. Anna Carder leads the team with a .294 average, while Jackie Lis leads the team with four home runs. In the circle, McKenzie Newcombe leads the staff with a 3.32 ERA, with 30 strikeouts in 25.1 innings.
 
Purdue enters the weekend with a 9-6 record, with wins over NC State, Dartmouth and Louisville. The Boilermakers already have two players with 20-plus hits, led by Moriah Polar's 24 and Chloe Banks' 22. Polar holds a .551 average, leading the team with 22 runs scored and 16 stolen bases. In the circle, Madi Elish holds a 1.58 ERA, putting together a 5-1 record with 19 strikeouts in 40.0 innings.
 
Purdue Fort Wayne has had a two-week break since its last competition, and enters the weekend 2-6. The Mastodons have wins over Coastal Carolina and DePaul so far this year, given the small sample. Kennedy Peckinpaugh is hitting .333 through eight games, one of two Mastodons hitting at least .300. The pitching staff, which holds a 6.06 ERA, is led by Alanah Jones' 32.2 innings. Jones has allowed 21 earned runs and has 21 strikeouts with a 1-4 record.
 
All games at the Coach B Classic will have live stats available. Games against SIU will be streamed on ESPN+.