Softball | 4/19/2019 9:51:00 AM

Goodwell, Okla. – Oklahoma Panhandle State University softball will open an eight-game homestand to close out the regular season this weekend, with four games versus Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) at Aggie Softball Field. The teams will play a pair of doubleheaders, beginning on Friday (Apr. 19) at 2 p.m. and Saturday (Apr. 20) at 12 p.m.
 
The Aggies (23-17, 14-14 SAC) enter the weekend having won six of their last eight games. Panhandle State currently sits in sixth in the Sooner Athletic Conference standings and SAGU in third, with just percentage points separating the Nos. 3-6 slots.
 
Live statistics links can be found at: opsuaggies.com
 
NOTES:
ON THE BRINK:  Panhandle State needs one more victory to clinch its second-consecutive SAC playoff berth.
 
HISTORY ON THE HORIZON?: One more win will also give the Aggies their first .500 season on record since the program was started in 1997.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS: SAGU enters the weekend 21-21 overall and 16-12 in the SAC. The Lions have lost their last eight games and are .500 on the road in 2019.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET: SAGU won three-of-four meetings during the 2018 season versus the Aggies.
 
NAIA TOP-40 STATS: OPSU ranks in the NAIA top-40 teams in total batters struck out (#24/214), total triples (#36/13) and total runs scored (#39/235).
 
SUPER SAVER: OPSU junior pitcher Kaylor Battiest is the NAIA national leader in saves, with nine thus far in 2019. Battiest also is the Aggies' team leader in wins at 12 and strikeouts with 132 (7.02 per game).
 
ADD BATTIEST: Kaylor is also among a handful of players nation-wide who have yet to commit a fielding error this season.
 
"AND A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM": For the second-consecutive season, the Aggies' team batting leader is a freshman. Currently, Brittany Thomas tops the team with a lofty .461 average (37-89). She also is first in slugging percentage (.618), thanks to her seven doubles, 1 triple and three home runs, driving in 25 runs and scoring 15. In 2018, sophomore All-American Jewell Lee led most of the OPSU's offensive categories.