LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The University of West Alabama Softball team is set for their final Home Weekend series of the year as the Tigers play host to the Lee Flames this weekend for a three-game series.

Game One is slated for Friday at 5:00 p.m. while Games Two and Three are set to begin at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Before Game Two of the series gets started, UWA will honor their seniors, Madison Wright, Marissa Mitchell, Taylor Clegg, and Riley Sullivan, during their Senior Day Ceremony. 

West Alabama (27-15, 16-11 GSC) enters the weekend after clinching a spot in the GSC Tournament by winning two of three against West Florida. As for Lee (22-22, 9-17 GSC), they come into the series on the outside looking in after winning their three-game series against Valdosta State.

Winners of seven of their last ten games, UWA looks to continue reaching their peak form. The Tigers are coming off arguably their best pitching weekend of the year as the duo of Madison Wright and Eleanor De Block held the top offense in the league, West Florida, to two runs across 22 innings of play. Wright and De Block have been excellent for West Alabama all year long and the star duo has put themselves in prime contention for All-GSC selections. De Block leads the team and ranks fourth in the GSC with a 1.62 ERA while Wright carries a 2.16 ERA along with a team-high 14 wins.

Offensively, Marissa Mitchell, Taylor Clegg, and Ann Marie Stanbridge are a formidable 'Big Three' in the middle of the Tigers' lineup. Mitchell still leads the team and ranks sixth in the conference with a .406 batting average along with 12 Home Runs, and 36 RBIs. The senior collected four hits this past weekend and will be a tough out for the Flames. As for Clegg, she brings a 12-game hitting streak into the series that's bolstered her batting average to .370. In the midst of her hitting streak, Clegg is batting .455. As for Stanbridge, she's been an RBI-machine, driving in 34 runs along with a .311 batting average. 

While Mitchell, Clegg, and Stanbridge have been great, they are surrounded by young talent such Ella Watson, Trinity Hatcher, and  Haley Shannon. Watson, Hatcher, and Shannon are comfortable at the plate as all three carry on-base percentages well over .300.

UWA's offense will also get a boost this weekend with Sullivan expected to return to the lineup after missing last weekend with a concussion.

Despite their 9-17 conference record, Lee possesses one of the top hitting offenses in the league as they bring a team batting average of .323 into Livingston on Friday. Ana Macha leads the way as the senior stands as one of the best contact and speed threats in the league. Macha leads the GSC in hitting and stolen bases with a .442 batting average and 32 stolen bases. Macha consistently gets on base for the power bats in Lee's order in Alexa Scalzo, Javaria Smith, and Ava Perkins. Scalzo checks all the boxes offensively as she brings a line of .413, nine Home Runs, 31 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases into this weekend's play. As for Smith, she's driven in a league-high 42 runs and carries a .370 batting average while Perkins has mashed seven Home Runs.

Offensively, the Flames excel, but they struggle on the mound, resulting in their position in the GSC standings. Senior, Natalie Pruitt Geesey is the workhorse for Lee. Geesey has pitched 138.2 innings this season which is nearly half of the innings pitched by the Flames' staff combined. In her innings of work, Geesey has accumulated a 16-6 record with a 3.76 ERA. The right hander pitches to contact as she's only registered 50 strikeouts, but has forced a plethora of groundouts and popups this season. Behind Geesey in the Flames' rotation is Layne Bailey and Madison Barnett who both carry ERAs well over 5.00.

This weekend serves as another opportunity for West Alabama to continue their progression as the postseason nears while Lee fights to keep their postseason chances alive. 

First pitch on Friday is set for 5:00 p.m. while Games Two and Three are set for 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.