STATS
VIDEO (Sunday only)
 
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The University of West Florida softball team will visit Montevallo at Orr Park in Montevallo, Alabama, over the weekend for a Gulf South Conference series. A Saturday doubleheader will begin at 4 pm, and the Sunday series finale is scheduled for an 11:30 am first pitch.
 
All three games can be followed with live stats, and the finale on Sunday will also feature a live video broadcast.  
 
Argos in the GSC
* West Florida holds a 15-10 record in the Gulf South Conference as the team enters the weekend, putting them fifth in the league. The Argonauts have hit .297 and slugged .457 -- 89 points better than opponents -- in conference play, while holding a 3.83 ERA in 25 games.
* Callan Taylor has been one of the biggest offensive threats across the league in conference play, hitting .379, posting a .500 on-base percentage and slugging .638. Kathleen Smiley, with 17 walks to go along with her 17 hits in GSC action, leads UWF with a .531 on-base percentage, and Tiona Hill leads the team with a .706 slugging percentage, boosted by her five doubles, two triples and team-high five home runs. Meghan Toney holds team highs in runs scored (19), and Jibrasha Moore has 14 stolen bases against the GSC.
* Sarah Maloney has been one of the best pitchers against GSC competition this year, with a .190 opposing batting average, 61 strikeouts and 17 strikeouts looking, which rank second, third and third in the conference, respectively.
* West Florida has hit .321 with runners on and .318 with runners in scoring position against conference foes this year, while holding teams to .263 and .263 averages in those same categories.
 
Down the Stretch
* West Florida has a tough slate ahead over the final eight games of regular-season play. Montevallo and Valdosta State, which have combined for a 34-18 record in conference play and a 61-21 overall mark, are on the docket for UWF, and the Argonauts will also visit Florida Southern in Tallahassee for a neutral-site doubleheader on April 24. Overall, the competition has a 85-40 record, good for a .680 winning percentage.
* The Argonauts were outstanding in April 2016 and 2017, going a combined 27-8. Rachel Wright has hit .369 in April in her two years, with eight doubles, six home runs and 34 RBIs. Likewise, Sarah Maloney has thrown extremely well in April over the last two seasons, pitching 42.2 innings and posting a 2.32 ERA with 32 strikeouts.
 
A Look at Montevallo
* Montevallo enters the weekend with a 15-11 record in Gulf South Conference action, good for seventh place in the league and just a half-game behind UWF in fifth.
* The Falcons have been one of the top offensive teams in the country this year, ranking second in stolen bases per game (4.08), 10th batting average (.353) and on-base percentage (.435), and 14th in scoring (7.38 runs per game).
* UM has been led by Kelsey Vining and Darbi Duke on the offensive side, with Vining hitting a league-best .516 on 65 hits, while also scoring more runs per game (1.26) than anyone else in the league. Duke's 49 stolen bases rank first in the GSC and third in Division II.
 
In the Rankings
* West Florida moved up to No. 15 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, which was released Wednesday, and the team also ranked eighth in the first South Region rankings of the year.
* In the national poll, Colorado Mesa, North Georgia and Chico State held steady in the top three spots in the poll, while Southern Arkansas and North Alabama round out the top five. No. 5 North Alabama and No. 23 Alabama Huntsville are the other Gulf South Conference teams in the top 25, with Valdosta State receiving votes. South Region opponents No. 8 Palm Beach Atlantic and No. 19 Saint Leo are also in the poll, with Embry-Riddle receiving votes.
* UNA was the top team in the regional rankings, followed by Palm Beach Atlantic, Embry-Riddle and Saint Leo out of the Sunshine State Conference at 2-3-4. Alabama Huntsville was fifth, Valdosta State ranked sixth, and Florida Tech was a spot ahead of UWF at No. 7. Mississippi College and Montevallo rounded out the rankings at Nos. 9 and 10.
 
Maloney in Relief
* Sarah Maloney made her first relief appearance of the year against Lee on April 8 and has been outstanding for the Argonauts in her four relief appearances this year. Over 13.2 innings in relief this year, Maloney has struck out 23 batters, allowed 6 hits, walked only 3 batters and has posted a 0.51 ERA.
* Maloney's pitching appearance on Sunday against AUM was as dominant a showing as she has had this year, striking out seven batters over just 2.2 innings.
* Over 55 relief innings since the 2016 season, Maloney has posted a 5-1 record over 25 appearances with a 2.11 ERA and 57 strikeouts.