The East Central University softball team is preparing for its first Great American Conference road trip of the season, as they are set to face Arkansas Tech, Feb. 27-28 in Russellville, Ark., at noon both days.

Game Notes

The Coverage
Fans who can't be at the game can find links to live stats, live video on ECUTigers.com.  Go to the softball schedule page.

Scouting Arkansas Tech
The Golden Suns are 6-0 on the season, but have not played since Feb. 19 when they swept a double-header with Pittsburg State.  This weekend's games are also the first GAC games of the season for ATU, who is hitting .441 as a team and allowing just a .248 mark.

Shanna Davison is the team's leader at the plate, with a .692 average, six runs scored, nine hits and six RBIs.  Kambri Hill adds a .588 average, nine runs, 10 hits and 10 RBIs, as one of four other ATU players that are hitting over .500 for the year.

Victoria Huie is one of three pitchers that have been used this year, with a team-high 16 innings of work.  She has a 0.88 ERA, 3-0 record and six Ks to her credit, while only allowing 19 hits and three runs.

Against the Golden Suns
In 2014, the teams met in Ada, with each ending the series with two wins.

Junior Autumn Suydam led the Tigers with a strong .727 batting average, four runs, eight hits and three RBIs.  Junior Brianna Nunley went 1-1 in the circle in 10.1 innings of work.  She allowed 12 hits and seven runs and struck out eight.

Victoria Huie was the leader at the plate and in the circle.  She hit .385 on five hits and went 1-1 in 13 innings.  She allowed 20 hits, 11 runs and struck out 10 batters.

The Series
Since 2012, when the all-time series started, the Tigers have amassed a 9-4 record against the Golden Suns, including a 9-3 mark in the GAC.  The teams have played the yearly series once in Russellville, with ECU going 3-1.

VanPelt Belting
Junior Jordynn VanPelt, may have just the third-best batting average on the team this season, but she is leading the team with 12 hits, 10 RBIs and three home runs.  Those home runs include a walk-off game-winner against Henderson State in the eighth inning Feb. 20.

Preseason Predictions
After finished the 2014 season tied for fifth, ECU has been picked to finish third in the Great American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.

The Tigers, who finished 33-25 overall and 22-18 in league action a season ago, received a total of 79 points, with one first-place vote.  The 2014 regular-season champs, Southeastern Oklahoma State were picked to finish first in 2015, earning 97 points and seven first-place votes.  Southern Arkansas was the other team to finish above ECU, earning 85 points and two first-place votes.

Henderson State was picked fourth (71 points/1 first-place votes), Harding fifth (66), Northwestern Oklahoma State sixth (52), Arkansas-Monticello seventh (47), Arkansas Tech eighth (44), Southern Nazarene ninth (24), Southwestern Oklahoma State 10th (21) and Ouachita Baptist 11th (19).

Returning Power
ECU will be looking to improve on their record from a season ago.  The Tigers have a strong chance of doing just that, as they have 14 returners, including seven starters on the 2015 squad.

Of the 14 returners from the 2014 season, five student-athletes were honored by the GAC last season for their performances.  Sophomore Sydney Dow, senior Samantha McGraw and junior Autumn Suydam all earned All-GAC Second Team honors.  Junior Jordynn VanPelt and senior Kaile Marcum were also honored by the league with All-GAC Honorable Mention selections.

Dow led the team in the circle, with a 12-4 record, four shutouts, eight complete games and 132 strikeouts. McGraw had a .337 batting average, 57 hits, 29 runs and 34 RBIs.   Suydam hit .389 and garnered 63 hits, 41 runs and 18 RBIs.

VanPelt led the team and league with 59 RBIs and added 56 hits, 15 home runs, 38 runs scored and a .348 batting average.  Marcum led the team with a .406 average and garnered 63 hits, 36 runs and 16 RBIs.

Up Next
The Tigers will come home for a three-week home-stand, starting with Harding March 6-7 at Tiger Field.  The home stand will also include games against Southern Nazarene (March 20-21) and Southeastern (March 24).