Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney softball team closes out the 2017 slate with four games against rival Fort Hays State this weekend in Kansas and Dryden Park.

Saturday's games at Hays are MIAA affairs and will be at 2 and 4:00 p.m.; Sunday's games are non-conference contests with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. On the original schedule, Sunday's games were to begin at noon.

Four Loper seniors will be honored prior to Sunday's games in infielders Halle Gydesen (Lexington), Molly Stern (Peoria, Ariz.), Katy Shupe (Bellevue) and outfielder Taylre Keenan (Ralston).

Last year, the Tigers swept these four end-of-the year games, winning 4-2 and 7-6 (8 innings) at Dryden and 2-1 and 10-0 at home. Currently, FHSU is 14-38 (6-18) and coming off a home Wednesday split with the Newman University Jets. They are led by third-year head coach Adrian Pilkington

Freshman infielder Bailey Boxberger (.254, nine doubles, five HR's and 23 RBI's) and freshman catcher Tess Gray (.306, five doubles, four HR's & 25 RBI's) power the offense. Like UNK, the Tigers have plenty of first year (seven) players.

Freshman Hailey Chapman (nine wins, 4.30 ERA) and junior Carrie Clarke (five wins, 4.40 ERA) have been the main pitchers for Hays. Chapman has managed 23 complete games and fanned 110 batters with Clarke registering 11 CG's and 36 K's.

Coming off a road split at Chadron State on Tuesday, the Lopers (9-43, 5-19) have had just eight home games to date. They've played 16 true road games and had 28 neutral site affairs, including four "home" games in Hastings.

Freshman outfielder Nicole Spykstra (.335), Gydesen (.289) and freshman infielder Macey Nelson (.277) lead in batting average with Stern first in homers (eight), runs scored (23) and RBI's (25). The first/second baseman also leads in putouts (202) and is second in assists (63).

Keenan and Spykstra are the only two Lopers to have started all 52 games with Keenan tied for second on the squad in sac bunts (four). Stern leads in the area (six) as well.

Finally, in the circle, junior Meg Housholder (Parker, Colo.) got Tuesday off but has made 27 appearances (24 starts) with 11 complete games. She has logged 131.1 innings and fanned 72 batters and now ranks in the UNK career top 10 in appearances (79) and starts (52).