RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University softball team returns to ASUN Conference play this weekend, hosting North Alabama for a three-game series on April 11-12.
 
The series opens with a doubleheader on Saturday, with Game 1 set for 1 p.m., followed by Game 2 at 3:30 p.m. EKU closes out the series Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Saturday's doubleheader will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available for all games throughout the weekend.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
 
North Alabama enters the weekend atop the ASUN Gold Division and riding a seven-game winning streak. The Lions (28-8, 10-2 ASUN) have yet to drop a conference series, winning their first four.
 
In their last outing, North Alabama swept Lipscomb before picking up a 4-3 midweek win over Tennessee Tech on Wednesday. The Lions also claimed a 2-1 series victory over Central Arkansas, a team that took a series from EKU last weekend.
 
Offensively, North Alabama ranks among the best in the conference, sitting second with a .308 team batting average while scoring 236 runs this season.
 
Briley Dover leads the charge at the plate, ranking second in the ASUN in runs scored with more than 42. Dover also paces the team with a .388 batting average, 44 hits and eight home runs.
 
Holly Merritt provides additional power, ranking fourth in the ASUN with 43 RBIs and fifth with 12 home runs.
 
In the circle, Alivia Wilken has lived up to her ASUN Preseason Co-Pitcher of the Year billing. Wilken ranks third in the conference with a 2.68 ERA, posting an 11-4 record with 56 strikeouts across 86.1 innings.
 
Katie Simon has also been a key contributor, going 10-2 while holding opponents to a .242 batting average with a 3.47 ERA.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
The Colonels (18-19, 7-4 ASUN) enter the weekend on a four-game losing streak after dropping midweek matchups to Louisville and Kentucky. EKU also lost its weekend series to Central Arkansas 0-2, with the finale canceled due to weather.
 
Earlier this week, EKU fell to Kentucky, 5-2. The Colonels jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the top of the third, highlighted by Skyler Billips' double off the center-field wall to score the first run and Kennedy Drafton crossing the plate on a wild pitch. However, EKU was held to one hit the rest of the way as the Wildcats scored five unanswered runs.
 
Despite the recent skid, EKU's pitching staff remains a strength. Victoria Byrum, a two-time ASUN Pitcher of the Week, holds opponents to a .248 batting average with a 3.87 ERA and 76 strikeouts. Freshman Bayle Hunnicutt has also impressed, ranking third in the ASUN with 86 strikeouts while limiting hitters to a .230 average.
 
At the plate, Kennedy Drafton leads the team with 58 total bases, 25 RBIs, and five home runs, and is tied with Jaelin Haynes for the team lead with 25 runs scored. Reese Knox ranks third in the ASUN with a .500 on-base percentage.
 
Sitting third in the ASUN Gold Division, the Colonels aim to close the gap in the standings against the league-leading Lions.