Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney softball team is slowly making its way North, first playing in Lubbock and Wichita Falls, Texas, over the first two weekends and now headed for Edmond and Oklahoma City in week three.

Weather permitting UNK will be in Topeka, Kan., Feb. 28-March 1 for its fourth straight tournament before having its home opener March 6-7 at Patriot Park.

UNK (6-4) has five games this weekend in the "Edmond Regional Festival III", co-hosted by Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma Christian. The games will be played either at UCO's campus in Edmond or OCU's campus in OKC. Check the Loper schedule page for live stat and live video links. 

The Lopers start off with No. 21 Texas A&M Commerce (6-3) and then face the OCU Eagles (12-3) who could be ranked as they are averaging nine runs per game and have already beaten four MIAA schools. Up on Saturday is two Lone Star Conference members in Cameron (9-5) and St. Mary's, Texas (5-1) with the lone game Sunday coming against Midwestern State (1-10). UNK lost to CU, 6-2, last Saturday in Wichita Falls but beat MSU, 9-3, on Friday.

UNK comes into week three batting .334 with 20 doubles, nine homers and 61 RBI's. Having drawn 37 walks and going 20 for 25 on steal attempts the Lopers have five batting over .400 and six players with over a .590 slugging percentage.

Kearney senior shortstop Kaitlyn Johnson is at .421 with a double, four dingers and a team-best 12 RBI's with Lincoln sophomore outfielder Carlee Liesch at .485 with two doubles, a triple, two long balls and 10 RBI's. Riding a seven-game hit streak she also has scored a team-best 12 runs batting mainly leadoff. Next Arizona redshirt junior outfielder/designated player Nicole Spykstra is batting .444 with four extra base hits and nine RBI's while Missouri senior center fielder Alexis Ray is at .407 with three doubles and seven RBI's. She also has nine putouts in the field.

In the circle six have combined for a 4.43 ERA over 68.0 innings with 53 strikeouts to 41 walks. Colorado senior Erin Hallman (20.1) has thrown the most innings and has two wins with Lincoln sophomore Kelsey Goodban leading in ERA (2.19), having a win and one of the team's three saves.

UNK's five opponents next weekend in the "Washburn Invitational presented by Capital Plaza Hotel and Convention Center" hail from the NSIC (Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conf.) and GLVC (Great Lakes Valley Conf.).