GREAT FALLS, Mont. – One final home series is all that's left for Lady Argo softball's 2017 season. With a record of 13-22 (5-19), UGF is out of the CCC playoff race, but can get one last hurrah against the fifth team in the conference standings, College of Idaho (19-20, 14-10) with back-to-back home doubleheaders.

UGF has played the Yotes more often than any other NAIA program except for Eastern Oregon, and while the all-time series heavily favors C of I, 5-16, the two teams split both doubleheaders last year. The tough part about that history for UGF is that in both wins over the Yotes in 2016, the Lady Argo's starting pitcher was Keeley Van Blaricom who has since graduated.

Threats of rain, and yes, some snow too, could play havoc with the game times, but for now, the first doubleheader is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 28, and the second will start at Noon on Saturday, April 29. All games will be played at the Multi-Sports Complex Field #7.

SENIOR DAY SUCCESS: Whenever the second doubleheader of the series is actually played, it will be UGF's Senior Day. For the second consecutive year, it's a large class well worth celebrating, including five regular starters.

This year's senior class was a crucial part of the Lady Argo's run to the NAIA Opening Round Finals in 2016 and have accounted for over half of the 2017 squad's offensive production. Through the course of the year, the seniors have 160 of the team's 298 hits (53.6 percent), 88 of the team's 164 runs (53.6 percent), and 82 of the team's 160 RBIs (51.2 percent).

The promise of a senior day isn't just a nice emotional story, but it also is good news for the team's overall record. While UGF's program winning percentage was 0.484 heading into the season, the Lady Argos are 9-8 all-time in their own Senior Day games.

JACKIE THOMAS DOES IT ALL: As part of the senior day celebrations, UGF Head Coach Joey Egan plans to play senior Jackie Thomas at all nine defensive positions. Thomas has started at first base and shortstop in 2017, but has practiced as a backup for all four infield positions and has experience as a pitcher, catcher, and outfielder either in high school or in her time at Dawson Community College.

No Lady Argo has ever played all nine positions in a game.

QUICK FACTS:

• UGF is on a 4-game losing streak.
• The Lady Argos offense came alive in the team's three recent loses to Oregon Tech, including home runs from three different players.
• Junior Kylie Gonzales had her eighth home run of the season which leads the Lady Argos and is seventh in the conference. She is now 3 home runs away from Keeley Van Balricom's program record of 11 HRs in a single season.  
• Senior Hali Gruntowicz had her seventh home run of the season in Game 3 against OIT, which followed up a 2 HR weekend against Northwest Christian the week before. She and Gonzales have hit 15 of UGF's 21 home runs.
• Against OIT, Thomas hit the first home run in her career as a Lady Argo.
• UGF has hit 10 more home runs then they did in the 2016 and are ranked 38th in the NAIA in home runs per game (.229).
• In the pitching circle, junior Kristina George leads the team with 42 strikeouts and the lowest ERA on staff (3.36). Out of the 33 batters she faced against Oregon Tech only 4 scored.

ABOUT THE YOTES: 

• College of Idaho is on a 4-game winning streak with a series sweep against Northwest Christian. C of I got swept it its series before that, going 0-4 against Corban University.
• The Yotes are led at the plate by senior Destiny Turner. She has a batting average of .556 and a slug percentage of .917, which is the best in the conference. She has 6 of the Yote's 18 home runs.
• The Lady Argos will have to face returning pitchers, senior Ashley Pesek and junior Ali Longoria. Pesek went 2-0 against UGF in the 2016 season.  Longoria, who is 0-1 against the Lady Argos, currently leads C of I's pitching staff with an ERA of 2.53.
• Sophomore transfer from the University of New Mexico, Colette Roberts, has been the most consistent in the circle for the Lady Yotes. She leads the team with 52 total strikeouts with a record of 9-6.