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STATS | VIDEO
 
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The University of West Florida softball team swept West Georgia last week and will continue Gulf South Conference action when it hosts Shorter on Saturday and Sunday at the UWF Softball Complex.
 
West Florida enters the weekend at 8-3 overall and is one of just two teams that is a perfect 3-0 in GSC play, and Shorter comes to Pensacola with a 4-9 record and a 1-2 GSC mark.
 
First pitch for the doubleheader on Saturday is scheduled for 1 pm, and the series finale on Sunday will also begin at 1 pm. Fans who cannot attend can follow the action with a live broadcast for each game and live stats, which can be found at the links above or by visiting GoArgos.com/Softball.
 
West Florida is also hosting "Bark at the Park" on Saturday. Free treats for dogs will be provided at the entrance of the UWF Softball Complex and Jim Spooner Field.
 
ABOUT LAST WEEK
West Florida started off the conference schedule with a sweep over West Georgia at the UWF Softball Complex. It turned out to be a breakout week in every facet of the game -- the offense hit a collective .403 and averaged more than 8 runs per game, and the pitching staff combined for a 1.24 ERA against the Wolves.
 
The series started with a pair of run-rule victories for UWF on Saturday before Montana Young, Jeya Prasad, and Kelsey Sweatt threw a combined shutout on Sunday. UWF is one of just two GSC teams that is undefeated in conference play through the first week.
 
ABOUT SHORTER
Even after going 1-2 against Delta State to start the conference schedule, Shorter brings in one of the top offenses in the Gulf South Conference. 
 
The Hawks are second in the conference in batting average (.303) and on-base percentage (.379) so far, and Kaylee Georgia is in the top 10 in the GSC in batting (.417). Paytn Cripps is second in the GSC with 5 doubles.
 
UWF has a 7-3 record against Shorter in the last 10 matchups, dating back to the 2016 GSC Tournament. The teams have not matched up since 2019, when UWF won the series in Pensacola, 2-1.
 
JESSICA FORD'S OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
Junior outfielder Jessica Ford was on a tear last weekend, hitting .700 (7-10) with four doubles, five RBIs, and three runs scored against West Georgia. Ford had multiple hits in each of the Argonauts' three games, including a perfect 3-for-3 day on Sunday.
 
She has the third-most doubles in the GSC, and she leads UWF in runs (9), doubles (4), and RBIs (8) this year.
 
PITCHING AND DEFENSE
As usual, the UWF pitching staff and defense have been near the top of the conference. West Florida has led the GSC in fielding percentage twice in the last three years, and the Argonauts top the conference again, with a .975 team fielding percentage and the fewest errors in the league, with 7.
 
The pitching staff has also been outstanding, with a 2.33 ERA and a league-best .199 opponent batting average. The team ERA is good for 34th in the country, and UWF's WHIP (walks + hits per innings pitched) is 17th in Division II.
 
And UWF's pitching staff ranks third in the GSC in strikeouts (65), despite ranking 10th in innings pitched. Jeya Prasad and Kelsey Sweatt each rank in the top 10 in the conference in ERA, opponent batting average, innings pitched, and strikeouts, and Prasad leads the conference in WHIP and opponent batting average.
 
TEALA AND THE RECORD BOOKS
With another strong weekend at the plate against West Georgia, Teala Howard has continued her climb in the UWF record book. The senior utility player holds the GSC and UWF all-time batting average record, at .457, and she ranks among the top 10 in UWF history in several other categories.
 
Howard is also fifth in career slugging percentage at UWF (.584) and tied for second in career stolen bases (107). Her 15 triples and 107 stolen bases also rank inside the top 10 in GSC history. A little farther down the list, Howard ranks ninth in program history in hits (234), tenth in runs (161), and 12th in total bases (299).
 
And keep in mind – Howard has done this in a little over two-and-a-half years, having lost half of her sophomore season due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
 
A MADELYN VASQUEZ BREAKOUT
Sophomore Madelyn Vasquez broke out at the Florida Tech Invitational, hitting .385 over the weekend. She led the team in slugging at .769, doubles (2), hits (5), runs (3), and total bases (10).
 
The Milton, Florida, native had at least one hit in each of the team's four games at the FTI, and she kept it up last weekend against West Georgia. She hit .500 in the series to open GSC play, leading the team in runs (4), walks (4), and on-base percentage (.778).
 
She doubled in each game against Bentley and No. 8 Saint Anselm and hit her first career home run -- a first-inning, two-run shot to center field -- against Barry on Sunday of the Florida Tech Invitational.