MONMOUTH, Ore. – After a grueling stretch playing 19 of the first 21 games away from home, the Western Oregon University softball team will look forward to some home cooking this week as they host their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference series this Thursday and Friday facing Montana State Billings in a pair of doubleheaders each day starting at 1 p.m.

WOU enters with an overall record of 11-10 and 1-2 in GNAC play, only able to play three of four possible games last week to open conference play as the first game against Saint Martin's went 10 innings and the teams weren't able to play the second game. That game will likely be made up when the Saints visit the Wolves later in the season in Monmouth. WOU then went on to Ellensburg and split the series with Central Washington.

The offense has put together a .316 average, which has included 27 doubles, eight triples, 12 home runs and 107 RBI. Eight players are hitting at least .300 overall on the team with Ayanna Arceneaux leading the way with a .416 average. Arceneaux has 32 hits, five doubles, three triples, a home run and nine RBI in 77 at-bats. She also leads the team with four stolen bases. Tyler Creach is right behind with a .390 average, tallying six doubles, two home runs and 19 RBI. Sydney Bowers is hitting .365 with a pair of doubles, a triple, three home runs and 14 RBI. Kiley Lynn has a .333 average with three doubles, a triple and six RBI, while Kennedy Coy is right at .300 with a double, two triples and five RBI. Nicole Milles (.355), Zoie Recolan (.341) and Allyson Drury (.302) round out the group hitting over .300 that see regular time off the bench. All three have at least nine RBI, with Drury driving in 10.

In the circle, Maddie Mayer has already tossed 63.1 innings in 12 appearances that has included nine starts. She has a 5-4 record with a 4.53 ERA, with seven complete games, a shutout and 41 strikeouts. Chandler Bishop has a 4.56 ERA in 35.1 innings this season and is 3-2 overall in nine appearances. She has two complete games and 12 strikeouts. Reilly Tidwell has pitched in 40 innings and is 3-4 with a 6.30 ERA in nine appearances. She has three complete games and a shutout, while striking out 14.

Head Coach Lonny Sargent enters the week siting just five wins short of 250 in his NCAA coaching career at 245.

WOU ranks in the top-three in the GNAC and high nationally in several categories including first in the GNAC and 48^th nationally in batting average (.316), second in the GNAC in fielding percentage (.959), second in the GNAC and 34^th nationally in hits (193), third in the GNAC and 56^th nationally in on-base percentage (.392), third in the GNAC and 47^th nationally in scoring (6.05), third in the GNAC and 40^th nationally in total runs (127), first in the GNAC and 13^th nationally in triples (8), first in the GNAC and 26^th nationally in triples per game (0.38), and 50^th nationally in walks (69).

Individually, Mayer is third in the GNAC and 46^th nationally in complete games (7). Arceneaux is second in the GNAC and 29^th nationally in hits (32), third in the GNAC and 75^th nationally in total bases (46), first in the GNAC and 11^th nationally in triples (3) and first in the GNAC in 48^th nationally in triples per game (0.14). Creach is third in the GNAC and 48^th nationally in hits (30) and second in the GNAC and 74^th nationally in sacrifice bunts per game (0.24). Coy is fourth in the GNAC and 88^th nationally in runs per game (1.00), second in the GNAC and 44^th nationally in triples (2) and third in the GNAC in triples per game (0.10).

WOU is 34-33 overall against MSU Billings since 2003, going 6-4 in the last 10 matchups. WOU has dominated at home going 22-8, while posting a 10-18 mark in Billings. Last season, WOU went 3-1 with the teams playing two in Portland and two in California due to scheduling not being able to play the games in Billings. The three wins for WOU were all run-rule victories winning those three games by a 34-3 score.

MSU Billings is 8-13 overall and 0-4 in the GNAC having dropped all four at Simon Fraser last week as the Clan posted a trio of one-run wins in the series. The 'Jackets opened the season with a big win over Oklahoma Christian and have played just two games at home this season defeating Carroll College in a doubleheader on Mar. 3.

Skyler Jenkins is hitting .490 with five home runs and 15 RBI to lead the 'Jackets. Payton Reynols adds a .429 average with four home runs and 11 RBI. Marin Penney and Allie Hughes are both hitting over .300 and have each added three home runs.

In the circle, Maddy Lincoln has logged 62.1 innings and is 2-5 with a 5.78 ERA in 12 appearances. Alyssa Etheridge has tossed 34.1 innings and is 3-4 with an 8.39 ERA in nine appearances.

Entering the week, Simon Fraser leads the conference with a 7-1 record. Central Washington is second at 3-1, followed by Saint Martin's at 2-1. Western Oregon sits fifth with a 1-2 mark, as Western Washington is just ahead at 4-4.

WOU and MSU Billings will open their four-game series on Thursday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. at the WOU Softball Field. Live video and stats will be available for both games and can be found here.