OXFORD, AL - The Gardner-Webb softball team is on the road for the first time in 2026 this weekend, taking on Northwestern State, DePaul and hosts Jacksonville State in the Jax State Tournament from February 20th through the 22nd

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20th
vs Northwestern State - 12 pm
vs DePaul - 2:30 pm

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21st
vs Northwestern State - 10 am
at Jacksonville State - 3 pm

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22nd
at Jacksonville State - 3 pm

SERIES HISTORY: There is little history between Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville State, Northwestern State and DePaul. The Runnin' Bulldogs have played Northwestern State and Jacksonville State just once each all-time, with GWU scoring a 3-2 win over the Gamecocks in Lubbock, Texas in 2019 and falling 8-2 to the Demons in February of 2023 during an early season tournament in Louisiana

LAST TIME OUT: Though the event was cut one day short, the Runnin' Bulldogs finished an impressive 3-1 at last weekend's Red and Black Classic. Gardner-Web nearly rallied from down eight runs before losing a wild 11-10 opener to Lehigh on Friday night before a 6-4 win over Queens to earn a split, then a 4-1 win over Tennessee Tech and a 7-3 win over Lehigh on Saturday

BIG BOPPERS: So far in 2026, the Runnin' Bulldogs have been led by the middle of a power-hitting lineup. GWU has three players to this point in the season battling over .400 and six who have recorded at least 10 hits. Notable among those is senior catcher Taylor Dreher who is batting .423, slugging a team-best .846, and has nine doubles in 26 at-bats, and senior two-way player Alli Stidham who in addition to 10.1 innings pitched, is hitting .429 with 12 hits and 10 runs batted in so far. Both have received Big South Player of The Week nominations, with Dreher winning the award during Opening Weekend

IN THE CIRCLE: The Runnin' Bulldogs pitching staff responded in a big way during the Red and Black Classic. After allowing 11 runs to Lehigh last Friday, the Dawgs combined to allow just eight runs in the next three games combined. Among the starts in a major bounce-back weekend were freshman right-hander Glenna McLamb. McLamb tossed 6.1 innings, and allowed three earned runs over two appearances, including the final 2.1 innings and a shutout in relief against Tennessee Tech. The Godwin, N.C. native relived sophomore right-hander Hannah Frye against Tennessee Tech, who posted a quality start and a win with 4.2 innings, five hits, and one run allowed

HITTING STREAK: Sophomore second baseman Reese Collier has been the Dawgs best clutch hitter so far in 2026. Collier arrives for the Jax State Tournament hitting .405 and with an OPS of .990, along with 15 hits and 15 runs batted in. The Coastal Carolina transfer, in addition to two walk-off hits and a sixth-inning triple in the near-comeback against Lehigh on Friday, has multiple hits in five games and at least one hit in all nine to start the season

BIG WEEKEND: Sophomore third baseman Caitlin Colley made her name known in last weekend's Red and Black Classic. The Stoufville, Ontario native hit 6-for-16 over the weekend, with two doubles, eight runs batted in, and her first Division I home run against Lehigh on Saturday. Colley has recorded at least two hits in five of nine games for Gardner-Webb this season

RECORD CHASE: Through the first nine games of the season, the 2026 Runnin' Bulldogs have scored the second-most runs in program history, coming across the plate 69 times for an average of over 7.6 runs per game. The 2019 team scored 77 runs through its first 10 games of the season, meaning Gardner-Webb is nine runs on Friday afternoon away from an all-time scoring mark through the team's first 10 games. GWU is also the Big South leader in hits, runs batted in, walks and on base percentage so far