RUSTON ââ'¬" Since Louisiana Tech joined Conference USA in 2013, the Lady Techsters and the UTEP Miners have brought the brooms to their annual three-game league softball series.

UTEP swept LA Tech in 2014 and 2016 while the Lady Techsters swept the Miners in 2015. This weekend the two teams will have another opportunity as they meet for a Friday doubleheader at 2 p.m. and a Saturday single game at noon at the Lady Techster Softball Complex in Ruston.

Admission is free. Friday is Ruston Girls Softball Association Day at the park as members of the RGSA will be given schedule posters for autographs after the second game of the doubleheader. Also, the first 100 fans will receive free pizza and the first 50 fans will receive free #EverLoyalBe sunglasses.

Fans can watch a live online stream to all three games by subscribing to CUSATV.com. Twitter updates can be followed at @LATechSB while Gametracker will also be available for all three games.

Tech (26-15, 9-3 C-USA/West) sits atop the Conference USA West Division midway through league play with 3-game series remaining against UTEP, UTSA, North Texas and FIU. UTEP (11-28, 5-10 C-USA/West) is in a two-way tie for fifth place in the West with Southern Miss.

The Lady Techsters have been tough at home this season, posting a 15-4 home mark ââ'¬" although only 3-3 in C-USA games. Tech has a chance to tie the program record for most wins in a season at home with 23, but the Lady Techsters would have to win their final 8 home contests.

Tech has won eight of its last nine Conference USA series dating back to last season, including a three-game sweep over UAB last weekend in Birmingham.

This weekend's series will pit one of the top pitching and defensive teams in the league in Louisiana Tech against one of the top hitting teams in the league in the Miners. Tech ranks No. 2 in team defense (.972) and No. 4 in team pitching (2.30 earned run average) in Conference USA. Those numbers are even more impressive in league-only games where Tech ranks No. 1 in team defense (.978) and No. 1 in team pitching (1.45 ERA).

Tech's pitching staff has been stellar in league games, tossing six shutouts and allowing only 19 earned runs in 92 innings of action. Krystal De La Cruz (7-0, 1.70 ERA) and Preslee Gallaway (11-10, 2.51 ERA) continue to serve as Tech's 1-2 punch in the circle while Bailey Allen (6-2, 2.33) and Jenny Chapman (2-3, 2.77) offer depth to the staff.

UTEP ranks No. 2 in team hitting (.307) although the Miners are only 1-5 in C-USA road games this season. The Miners boast eight regulars hitting over .300 led by Kiki Pepi (.356, 4 HR, 32 RBI), Katilin Ryder (.351, 4 HR, 27 RBI), Taylor Sargent (.349, 17 RBI), Cortney Smith (.343, 7 HR, 17 RBI), reigning C-USA Player of the Year Courtney Clayton (.333, 3 HR, 18 RBI), Mallorie Cross (.310, 14 RBI), Lindsey Sokoloski (.300, 14 runs) and Ariel Blair (.300, 16 runs).

In the circle, UTEP ranks last in C-USA in earned run average at 5.80. Kaitlin Fifield (2-6, 5.03 ERA), Devyn Cretz (5-6, 5.04) and Erika Harrawood (3-10, 5.87) have logged the majority of innings for the Miners.