ALVA, Okla. – The Northwestern Oklahoma State Softball team will look to continue their great play this weekend when they host Southern Nazarene University for a four-game set. The Crimson Storm (12-26, 8-18 GAC) have won four of their last six contest and will be trying to make a late-season push for a chance at a playoff berth.  

The Rangers (12-26, 10-16 GAC) hold their destiny in their own hands as they currently sit sixth in the Great American Conference standings with 18 regular season games remaining, 14 of which are against opponents behind them in the race. Northwestern is coming off a mid-week doubleheader split with instate rival Southwestern Oklahoma State in which they found themselves on both ends of the run rule.

Head coach Jill Webb has enjoyed a balanced offensive attack since taking the reins in late February, but two Rangers have really stood out in the team's last 10 games. Madison McGraw, a junior from Broken Arrow, Okla. has caught fire in that span, improving her batting average by 65 points to bring it up to .270 for the season. The outfielder is riding a seven game hit streak, including three doubles and a home run in Wednesday's split with SWOSU.

"Madi's one of those players that is so hard on her herself and with the success she had last year we've just been focusing on bat-to-bat and keeping her hands through the ball and with that mindset she's just been attacking the ball better," coach Webb said.

Macy Madewell has been another clutch performer for the black-and-red and had a breakout day Wednesday, going 4-for-6 with two home runs and five RBI's. The reliable right fielder has started in every game this season and has consistently showed off her defensive prowess. Madewell hasn't recorded an error all season while making multiple great defensive plays to take away hits from opposing batters.

The pitching staff for the Rangers has reemerged in the second half of the season and has also been steadily improving statistically during that time. Starters Madison Garza and Karly Murray have both continued to give the Ranger offense a chance to keep them in ballgames at all times. Garza has picked up a win in her last four starts, while Murray has allowed four or less runs in each of her last four outings.

The Rangers will welcome a Southern Nazarene (12-26, 8-18 in GAC) team to the Alva Rec. Complex that have earned a victory in four of their last six contests including three wins over Southwestern last weekend. Head coach Tere Webber's squad has used a disciplined approach at the plate all season, drawing the fourth most walks in the conference with 105 free passes, and has relied on the efforts of utility player Mahina Sauer, who is currently riding a seven-game hit streak and has also seen extensive time in the circle for the Crimson Storm.

Sauer has joined forces with junior Katelyn Brown to work the majority of the innings for the Crimson Storm. The pitching staff as a whole has struggled for the most part throughout the year, posting a league worst ERA of 5.87. The Southern Nazarene hurlers allowed just four runs in both of the games during their midweek doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon, showing that the staff could be coming alive just as the Rangers staff has in the second part of the season.

"Offensively we're going to attack and we just need to balance that with a good defense," coach Webb said.

Both Northwestern and Southern Nazarene will be taking part in the "Defending Home Against Domestic Violence" initiative during Saturday afternoon's contests. The Rangers will be sporting purple t-shirts, purple laces and teal ribbons to support the cause and will be offering a booth with information on the sensitive subject of domestic violence. The booth will also be selling t-shirts in support of breaking the cycle of domestic violence and the first responders who respond on domestic violence calls.

"When it comes to these awareness games we just felt like it was something that needed to be noted and we have a great facility here in Alva that is super supportive," coach Webb said, " It's something we wanted to bring awareness to and a cause we wanted to support."

Northwestern will also be selling their raffle tickets during both days of the series. Raffle tickets will be sold for $5 dollars each, with prized including a Samsung Galaxy Tablet E, a Portable Hasty Bake, a Tulsa State Fair Package and Two Women's College World Series Tickets. All proceeds will benefit the Northwestern Softball Team.

Northwestern will square off with Southern Nazarene on Friday, April 7 at 2 p.m. for a doubleheader at the Alva Rec Complex. The two teams will wrap up the series on Saturday, April 8 with a twin-bill beginning at noon.