PARIS, Texas – Midwestern State steps outside the Lone Star Conference for a non-conference clash with No. 8-ranked Southern Arkansas at Paris Junior College Softball Stadium. The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon.

Midwestern State (4-24) just saw the No. 1 team in the nation on Sunday and had some bright moments against West Texas A&M, but the Lady Buffs swept the twin bill at Mustangs Park, 9-3 and 7-1. The Mustangs are 2-6 in non-conference games and 2-5 in neutral site games this season.

Southern Arkansas won its last four encounters with the Mustangs, including three at neutral sites, but Midwestern State leads the all-time series, 8-4.

The two programs last met at the 2023 Mardi Gras Invitational in Youngsville, Louisiana, and the Muleriders scored four runs in the fourth inning on their way to a 7-2 victory at the Youngsville Sports Complex.

It was the first matchup between the two schools since Southern Arkansas outslugged MSU at Mustangs Park, 13-11, in February of 2014.

Chipper Mayorga, a freshman second baseman, is the leading hitter for the Mustangs with a .391 batting average, and she is tied for the team lead with 16 RBIs.

Erikha Ibarra-Subia, who left the second game of the doubleheader Sunday due to an injury, is hitting .338 and leads the team with an on-base percentage of .454.

Paige Scanlin, who has two home runs this season, came in for the injured Ibarra-Subia and stroked a double to right center in her first at bat.

The Mustangs played without starting catcher Madison Stewart the last four games due to injury, but Hayelli Acosta took over behind the plate and performed well. Acosta started 25 games at shortstop this season, but donned the catchers' equipment for three games during the recent homestand. Stormy Daniel caught the second game of the doubleheader against Eastern New Mexico on Friday and played shortstop in the other three games.

Daniel made some dazzling defensive plays at shortstop against West Texas A&M on Sunday. She masterfully played a short hop before throwing out a runner at first, and she snared a gap-bound line drive to rob the Lady Buffs of a hit.

Tatum Waller hit the first triple of the season for the Mustangs in the first inning of Game 1 against West Texas A&M after the Mustangs took a 1-0 lead on the top-ranked team in the nation.

Midwestern State has a 4.85 team ERA through 28 games and opponents are hitting .325 against the Mustangs, who are hoping to snap a seven-game losing streak.

Southern Arkansas is 28-3 this season with a 13-2 record in the Great American Conference. The Muleriders won two of three games against Southwestern Oklahoma State this past weekend, winning the final game of the series, 9-0, on Saturday afternoon.

The Muleriders have four hitters batting .396 or better, including Maddie Leal, who is hitting .495 with nine doubles and a triple. She is 10-for-22 during a six-game hitting streak for the Muleriders.

America Rubio was 3-for-3 against SWOSU on Saturday and improved her batting average to .440, and she is tied for the team lead with eight home runs. She also leads the Muleriders with 36 RBIs. 

Paris Endris is hitting .356 with eight home runs and has 35 RBIs this season, while Sophia Luetticke is hitting .398 and has stolen a team-leading 18 bases on 20 attempts this season. Luetticke has a team-leading 39 runs scored.

Regan Dillon has 18 extra-base hits with 12 home runs, five doubles and a triple for the Muleriders and she is hitting .396 with a .504 on-base percentage. 

Southern Arkansas is scoring 7.4 runs per game and boasts a team ERA of 2.26.

Emma Duncan is 14-1 in 19 appearances with 18 starts and has five shutouts this season. Duncan has a 1.61 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 108 2/3 innings pitched. She has thrown 10 complete games for the Muleriders.

Kassie Rhodes is 12-1 with a 2.80 ERA in 15 appearances, including 12 starts for Southern Arkansas, which is 13-1 in neutral site games this season.

Midwestern State travels to Texas Woman's on Friday for an LSC showdown at Dianne Baker Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.