CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College softball team opens the month of April with a big Gulf South Conference series at home against Valdosta State University at the MC Softball Complex. The three-game set begins Saturday with a doubleheader at 4:00 pm, followed by the finale on Sunday at 1:00 pm.

Both days will offer free food to fans in attendance. On Saturday, the softball parents are cooking hot dogs and hamburgers, while the Campus Activities Board is cooking hot dogs for Sunday's games.

THE COACHES
The Lady Choctaws are led by 10th-year head coach Brooke O'Hair, who is the winningest skipper in Lady Choctaw history and picked up her 250th career win on February 28th against West Alabama. She has led MC to four 30-win seasons, three NCAA Regional appearances and two NCCAA World Series.

The Blazers are led by 11th-year head coach Thomas Macera, who won his 700th career game earlier this season. In his career at VSU, he has led the Blazers to over 500 wins and the 2012 national championship.

THE SERIES
The Lady Choctaws and the Blazers have met 15 previous times with VSU holding a 9-6 edge in the series. This will be just the second time the teams have played in Clinton with VSU taking a 2-0 win on April 25, 1993.

LAST TIME OUT
The Lady Choctaws split a doubleheader with William Carey in Hattiesburg, bouncing back for a 2-0 loss in the first game with a 2-0 win in Game 2. Freshman Penny Nichols tossed her 2nd career shutout in the victory.

The Blazers swept a twin-bill from Georgia Southwestern on Tuesday, outscoring the Hurricanes 14-4 in the two games.

MILESTONE WATCH
Sargent is MC's all-time leader in strikeouts/game, posting 6.39 per contest in her career. She also ranks 3rd in school history in walks/game (1.27), 5th in strikeouts (276) and 6th in lowest ERA (1.90).

Senior infielder Kimmie Conley ranks 6th in school history in games played (160), 7th in RBI (79) and walks (54) and 11th in at-bats (418).

Junior outfielder Megan Everett is also climbing the record books, ranking 8th in MC history in RBI (73), 9th in hits (131) and 12th in at-bats (410).

THE MATCHUP
The Lady Choctaws had a 13-game win streak snapped on Wednesday, but MC has won 19 of their last 21 contests, including that 2nd-longest winning streak in school history.

The pitching duo of Sargent (13-5, 1.51 ERA) and Nichols (11-4, 2.45 ERA) have been especially dominant over the last 21 games. Sargent is 11-2 witha 1.12 ERA and 105 strikeouts, while Nichols is 8-0 with a 1.71 ERA and just six walks in 49.0 innings.

Freshman Kristen Qualls (.396) is the team's leading hitter with 10 doubles, eight home runs and 31 RBI. Junior Tylan Buckley (.351) leads the team with 28 runs scored and is second with six homers.

Junior Megan Everett (.339) ranks 2nd on the team with 39 hits and is tied for third with 20 RBI. Sophomore Katherine Lee (.289) has a team-high 25 stolen bases and already ranks 6th in school history with 35 career swipes.

The Blazers (26-8-2) have been one of the hottest teams in the GSC, winning 12-of-15 games in the month of March, including a 9-game unbeaten streak coming into this series.

Senior Kiley Rusen (.389) leads the Blazers at the plate with 13 home runs and 42 RBI. Senior Jaime Phillips (.340) has scored a team-high 37 runs with a team-high 11 doubles.

Caitlyn Calhoun (17-4, 1.49 ERA) leads VSU in the circle with 152 strikeouts, 22 complete games and 11 shutouts.