GSC OPENERS: The UAH softball team will begin Gulf South Conference play at the 2018 GSC Opening Weekend in Festival, playing a trio of conference opponents in Montgomery. Action starts on Saturday at noon against Lee followed by a 2:30 p.m. contest against Delta State, and the Chargers will wrap up the weekend on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. against West Georgia. UAH carries a strong 8-2 record into the three-game set.
 
GSC OPENING WEEKEND FESTIVAL: With the addition of Montevallo and Auburn Montgomery to the league, softball is now unable to play all league opponents in a regular series on the year, so the conference started this weekend's opening festival in which teams will face opponents they otherwise would not face during the season.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Chargers went 3-1 last weekend in Huntsville at the Chillout, outscoring the opposition 36-5 in the team's three victories while the lone setback came to the No. 6 team in the country in Southern Indiana.
 
GETTING ON: Reagan Malone leads the GSC on the year with an impressive .680 on-base percentage that comes from her eight hits in 16 at-bats along with eight walks and a hit-by-pitch. The sophomore has reached base via a hit or walk in all but one of UAH's 10 games on the season.
 
AND GETTING IN: With 11 runs scored on the year, Jada Hayes ranks in a tie for third in the league in the statistical category, while Malone and Amber Hammonds are both tied for sixth with nine runs scored. The Chargers are the only team in the league to have three players in the top 10 in runs scored.
 
PUNCH OUTS: A year after having the top pitcher in strikeouts in Tyler Harrison, the Chargers again hold the top of the strikeout ledger in the GSC as freshman Layton Murphy has retired a league-best 31 via the K. Last weekend against Georgia Southwestern, she struck out a season-best nine, and she has at least a pair of Ks in each of her eight appearances.
 
ABOUT LEE: The Flames were picked to finish sixth in the GSC and enter this weekend at 5-4. Kayla Gooch is batting .556 to pace the team in average, while Stevie Baird owns a team-high seven RBI. In the circle, Shonna Penney is 2-1 with a team-best 1.62 ERA in four appearances.
 
SERIES HISTORY: The Chargers hold a wide 10-2 edge in the all-time series against Lee, and the two teams split the four games played last year with the Chargers winning two of three regular season meetings while Lee won in the NCAA South 2 Regional.
 
ABOUT DELTA STATE: The Lady Statesmen enter play this weekend at 4-6 after going 1-3 last weekend in the Rocket City at the Chillout. Mallory Myers has logged a team-best 10 hits and is batting .303, while Carlie Vice has two doubles and a homer on the young season to lead DSU with eight RBI. Featuring a team-high 14 strikeouts and a 1.57 ERA, Nicole Fullilove leads Delta in the circle.
 
SERIES HISTORY: The Chargers took all three meetings against Delta State last year and now lead the all-time series by a 43-15 margin.
 
ABOUT WEST GEORGIA: After going 3-1 against Tampa and Eckerd last weekend, the Wolves are now 7-2 overall on the year. Lexi Close and Lexie Stohr are both batting above .400 at .474 and .444, respectively, while Close has also been strong in the circle, going 3-0 with an 0.44 ERA.
 
SERIES HISTORY: After going 3-1 against UWG last year including a win in the GSC tournament, the Chargers are now 68-10 against the Wolves. The 68 wins mark the second-most against an opponent all-time by UAH.