TUSKEGEE, Ala. — Tuskegee softball is set to close out its home schedule this weekend with a pivotal Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) series against Kentucky State at the TU Softball Field.
 
The three-game series begins Friday at 5 p.m., followed by a Saturday doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
 
The Golden Tigers enter the weekend with a 19-5 overall record and a dominant 14-1 mark in SIAC play, while the Thorobreds stand at 10-14 overall and 8-6 in the conference.
 
ABOUT TUSKEGEE (19-5, 14-1 SIAC)
Tuskegee continues to assert itself as one of the most complete teams in the league.
 
Offensively, the Golden Tigers boast a potent lineup batting .343 as a team, scoring 182 runs across 24 games.
 
Leading the way is Alexis Thompson, hitting .426 with 26 hits, eight doubles, and three home runs, driving in 27 runs.
 
Caroline Clark has been one of the hottest bats in recent weeks, batting .571 with 16 hits in 28 at-bats and a .647 on-base percentage.
 
Ava Mearideth (.327), Carole Ross (.319), and Kaeley Roldan (.313) add depth to the lineup, while team speed has been on full display with 58 stolen bases on 65 attempts, led by Tamiya Martin (12-for-14) and Nylah Strange-Lindley (6-for-6).
 
The Golden Tigers' pitching staff has also been a driving force behind their success, holding opponents to a .234 batting average with a team ERA of 2.37.
 
Senior Kamya Hampton has led the way in the circle with an 8-3 record and a 2.11 ERA over 63.0 innings, recording 58 strikeouts.
 
Monica Rose has matched her dominance with a 10-2 record, a 2.59 ERA, and 87 strikeouts over a team-high 78.1 innings pitched in her freshman season.
 
Defensively, Tuskegee holds a .924 fielding percentage and has allowed just 29 stolen bases on 32 attempts, showing strong catcher play and field awareness.
 
ABOUT KENTUCKY STATE (10-14, 8-6 SIAC)
Kentucky State enters the matchup having won four of its last six games in league play.
 
The Thorobreds are batting .255 as a team, led by senior Andralyn Brown, who paces the team with a .326 batting average, 29 hits, and 10 stolen bases.
 
LillieAnn Hollom (.310) and Savannah Teale (.286) have also been productive at the plate, with Teale tied for the team lead in RBIs (12) alongside Aaliyah Long and Tayler Floyd. Long leads the team in home runs with four and owns a .493 slugging percentage.
 
On the mound, Kentucky State has relied on a rotation anchored by Lisuanet Flores (2-3, 3.79 ERA) and Theresa Pelland (4-4, 4.22 ERA).
 
The team ERA stands at 4.84 across 158 innings, allowing 155 hits and 85 earned runs while striking out 93. Defensively, KSU has struggled at times, posting a .914 fielding percentage while committing 63 errors.
 
Catching and controlling the running game has been a challenge as opponents have stolen 113 bases in 126 attempts.
 
This weekend's matchup features one of the league's most explosive offenses in Tuskegee against a Kentucky State squad trying to gain momentum for postseason positioning.
 
With Senior Day festivities also set to take place on Saturday, the Golden Tigers will look to close their home slate with a strong showing in front of their fans and continue their pursuit of a SIAC regular-season title.
 
How to Follow the Golden Tigers
For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Softball, visit GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.