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PENSACOLA, Fla. – Gulf South Conference play continues for the No. 1-ranked University of West Florida softball team this weekend, as the Argonauts head to No. 18 Alabama Huntsville for a weekend series. West Florida (39-5, 22-2 GSC) holds a five-game lead over second-place UAH in the conference standings with six regular-season contests left.
 
With the lead, UWF needs just one win this weekend to clinch the regular-season conference title. The regular-season champion in the GSC hosts the conference tournament that runs from May 2 through May 5.
 
All three games of the series will be live streamed, and fans can also follow along with live stats. Both can be accessed by clicking the links above or by visiting GoArgos.com.
 
With rain in the forecast for the weekend, there has been a slight change to the series. The teams will now play a single game at 1 pm on Friday before playing a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 pm.
 
About Alabama Huntsville
The Chargers from Alabama Huntsville have been one of the most impressive offensive teams in the country this year, ranking in the top 10 in Division II in batting (.351; 6th), on-base percentage (.446; 3rd), scoring (7.8 runs per game; 5th), slugging (.556; 7th), and stolen bases per game (3.13; 3rd). That offense has helped UAH to a 33-12 record with a 17-7 conference mark that puts the team in second place in the GSC standings.
 
Shelby Booker and Ashley Cornell have been dynamic for Alabama Huntsville, hitting .469 and .439, respectively. Booker leads the GSC in runs scored (52), hits (68), and steals (42), while Cornell leads UAH with 83 total bases -- a total that ranks fifth in the GSC. Booker and Cornell are just two of six Alabama Huntsville starters with an on-base plus slugging average above 1.000.
 
What's On the Line Here?
With just six regular-season GSC contests remaining, West Florida holds a five-game lead over Alabama Huntsville in the conference standings. Winning the regular-season GSC championship means hosting the conference tournament from May 2-5, and it would be the first time since 2006 that UWF has posted the best regular-season conference record -- a time when the GSC was split into East and West divisions.
 
UWF was ranked first in the season's initial South Region rankings, which came out Wednesday. The Argonauts are one of five Gulf South Conference teams in the first set of rankings, joined by Valdosta State at No. 3, Mississippi College at No. 5, and Alabama Huntsville and Union at Nos. 8 and 9.
 
Eight teams from the South Region are chosen for the NCAA Tournament. The field is made up of conference champions from the Gulf South, Sunshine State, and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic conferences, and the remaining five highest seeds in the regional rankings.
 
Home Sweet Home
There has been no place quite like the UWF Softball Complex for the Argonauts this year. The team has gone 17-1 at the friendly confines with one regular-season series left to go -- against West Alabama to wrap up the season on April 26-27.
 
UWF is hitting .384, led by Rhiannon Sassman, Courtney McLellan, and Jacquelynne Poling, who are each hitting .500. Sassman leads the team in runs (19), hits (27), home runs (3), RBIs (21), and slugging (.944) at home, while McLellan leads Argos with 6 doubles.
 
How About Mika Garcia?
Sophomore shortstop Mika Garcia has been on a tear since the series against Delta State, hitting .419 and slugging .581 over her last 12 games. The Jacksonville, Florida, native has reached base in each of her last 11 games, marking the longest active streak on the team.
 
She has three multi-hit games and a pair of contests with multiple RBIs, including the series finale against Lee on Saturday when she went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a walk. She also drove in the first two runs of the series opener against Shorter on March 30, which included a solo home run in the third inning to start the scoring.
 
And Courtney McLellan?
Courtney McLellan is another sophomore lighting things up for UWF offensively, as the Bradenton, Florida, native has hit .394 over her last 11 games. McLellan has four multi-hit games in that time, including two on Saturday against Lee when she went a combined 5-6 with an RBI and a double.
 
She has destroyed GSC pitching this year, with a .431 batting average and a .690 slugging percentage. She leads UWF with 7 doubles in conference play.
 
We're Still #1
The University of West Florida softball team has earned the top spot in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll for a fourth consecutive week, the organization announced on Wednesday. The Argonauts again received 15 of a possible 16 first-place votes, while the other went to No. 2 Central Oklahoma.
 
West Florida leads all Division II teams with 39 wins this season and could be the first to reach 40 with a win at No. 18 Alabama Huntsville this weekend. The Argonauts' .886 winning percentage ranks second in the country, and the team is fifth in fielding percentage (.976), ninth in ERA (1.64) and batting average (.347), and 10th in on-base percentage (.424).
 
No. 16 Valdosta State and No. 18 UAH remained ranked, giving the Gulf South Conference three teams in the top 25, and Mississippi College is the first team receiving votes. Additionally, Sunshine State Conference and South Region opponent Florida Tech jumped up to No. 5 in the poll, and Rollins is receiving votes.