One last road series awaits the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff softball team this weekend.
UAPB will face Grambling State at 3 p.m. Friday, followed by a Saturday doubleheader beginning at noon, at the GSU Softball Complex in Grambling, La.
This will be the final road trip of the regular season for UAPB (10-26, 5-13 SWAC), with next week’s final series coming at home. The Lady Lions won two of three games against the Lady Tigers when they met in Pine Bluff last month.
UAPB’s last two wins came away from home when the Lady Lions won two of three games at Texas Southern. UAPB has lost six straight games since, all at home.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Lady Lions enter the weekend tied with Alcorn State for last in the SWAC West Division. UAPB has been swept each of the past two series and desperately needs wins to get back into the hunt for a spot in next month’s SWAC tournament.
UAPB must win at least once to stay alive for the postseason. A GSU sweep would eliminate the Lady Lions from reaching the tournament.
For Grambling (14-21, 7-7), this series will be the last at home. The Lady Tigers enter the series sitting in fourth place, occupying the division’s final spot in the SWAC tournament. With a challenging road series at Prairie View A&M coming up next week, GSU will be looking to collect as many wins as possible this weekend.
The Lady Tigers could clinch a spot in the tournament this weekend if they sweep UAPB and if Alcorn loses at least twice to Southern.
The first time these teams met, UAPB ace pitcher Kayla Adams held GSU to 3 total runs in the two games she pitched, both victories. Grambling scored 14 runs to win the one game she didn’t pitch, presenting UAPB a challenge this weekend with Adams out.
UAPB hasn’t held a SWAC foe to fewer than 6 runs in a game Adams didn’t pitch, and the Lady Lions have yet to win without her in conference play. Danika Bryant (2-7) has been credited with two wins this season, and Heidi Price (1-10) has been credited with one, though all three came in games against non-Division I opponents.
Grambling pitcher Audrey Richardson (5-5) boasts the SWAC’s second-best ERA, 2.36, and has not allowed more than 3 earned runs in any game this season. UAPB beat her 4-3 in Pine Bluff, with all 4 runs coming in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Erin Gibbs (5-7, 4.70 ERA) pitched the other two games against UAPB, allowing 5 total earned runs in 11 innings.