LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The University of West Alabama Softball team is ready to take on the No. 1 team in the country in the AUM Warhawks this weekend in Montgomery.

Game One is set for Friday at 3:00 p.m. with Game Two set to follow at 5:00 p.m. The series will conclude on Sunday with Game Three slated for 2:00 p.m. 

West Alabama (9-3-1) comes into the weekend on a five-game winning streak with victories coming over Georgia College & State, Emmanuel, and Miles. As for No. 1 AUM (10-0), they come into play, winners of their first 10 games of the year.

The Tigers are presented with a great opportunity this weekend as they take on the No. 1 ranked team in the country in AUM. UWA comes into play with some momentum, hitting .395 as a team in the midst of their five game winning streak, upping their season batting average to .283.

Offensively, Ella Watson has led the way as she brings in a stat line of .382, three Home Runs, and 12 RBIs. Through the first 13 games, the sophomore has recorded five multi-hit games, leading the Tigers in that category. Haley Shannon has been a staple in the leadoff spot. The Right Fielder leads West Alabama in hitting with a .395 batting average along with four stolen bases. Ann Marie Stanbridge holds down the three-hole spot in the lineup for UWA and continues to be a consistent bat in the order. Stanbridge is currently hitting .375 to begin the year along with a team-high four doubles and seven RBIs. True Freshman Carolyn Cagle has also emerged as a consistent contact hitter. Cagle has a batting average of .625 over the last three games and enters this weekend's series on a three-game hitting streak.

In the circle for West Alabama, the Tigers have only allowed five earned runs over the last six games, registering a 0.77 team ERA over that stretch. UWA now holds a 1.84 ERA on the year which ranks third in the GSC and 17th in the nation. 

Eleanor De Block leads the charge, carrying a pitching line of 4-3, 2.24 ERA, and a 0.99 WHIP on the season. The junior will start Game One and will do so off the heals of her first career no-hitter in which she recorded against Miles on Wednesday. Megan Roe has been the Tigers' Game Two starter and she's off to a stellar start in her senior campaign. The Right-Hander is 4-0 on the year with a 1.93 ERA in 32.2 innings of work. While De Block and Roe are the usual starters, Stanbridge has been the bullpen option, accumulating 14.1 innings in five appearances. The senior currently holds a team-best 0.98 ERA.

For AUM, they've been lights out in every face of the game. At the plate, the Warhawks are batting .337 along with nine Home Runs. In the circle, AUM holds a 1.34 team ERA which currently leads the conference and ranks sixth in the country. 

Through 10 games, the Warhawks have scored double digit runs in four of those contests. Four players on AUM's roster is batting over .400 with three more hitting over .300. Karris Rhine is the best overall bat in the Warhawks' lineup as the junior carries a stat line of .485 BA, four Home Runs, and 12 RBIs. Rebecca Komers and Olivia Watkins are also on-base machines as Komers leads the team with a .500 batting average and a .543 on-base percentage while Watkins carries a .423 batting average. 

On the mound, AUM returned two of the top pitchers in the league from a year ago in Reese Cauley and Chelisa Newsome. Cauley is the reigning Region Pitcher of the Year after turning in an impressive 1.27 ERA as a true freshman last season. This year, the Right-Hander is currently 6-0 with a 1.27 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .153 batting average. For Newsome, she was a second team All-Region selection last year and has begun her junior campaign off similarly to Cauley. Newsome is 3-0 on the season with a 1.75 ERA.

The Tigers will see the duo of Cauley and Newsome this weekend and will need to find a way to produce offense against them to spring an upset in Montgomery.

First pitch is set for Game One is set for 3:00 p.m. on Friday with Game Two to follow afterwards. Game Three is slated for 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.