[April 3, 2008]

By: Houston Taylor

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas’ season struggles continued Thursday as Henderson State claimed an 11-3, six inning win and a 9-0 shutout in Gulf South Conference action. The doubleheader was a makeup from the originally scheduled March 8 date in Magnolia that was snowed and rained out.

Lauren Carley tossed nine combined innings on the day for the Lady Reddies (32-8, 12-2 GSC), getting a complete game win in the opener to run her record to 17-3 and picking up a save in game two. Second baseman Kayla Lucas smashed three homers, two in the second game shutout, for nine total on the year.

HSU piled up 14 hits in the opener, winning on the eight-run rule in six innings. They committed three errors and left eight on base. The young Lady Muleriders (6-20, 1-13 GSC) finished with six hits, made three errors, and stranded five.

In her six innings, Carley scattered the six hits, allowed three runs, with only one earned, and walked two, while striking out five.

Lucas was a combined 6 for 7 on the day, also adding a double to her three homeruns. She scored four runs and finished with seven RBI. Heather Canerday also homered for Henderson State in the opener, her sixth, and added a double in finishing with three RBI.

Catcher Tancy Matthews had two hits and an RBI for SAU in the first game.

Cheyenne Savony (3-8) went the distance in being saddled with the loss. Of the 11 runs, six were earned, and she walked three and fanned three.

The Lady Reddies posted five runs in the second inning, aided by three Southern Arkansas errors, and added four more runs in the fourth.

The Lady Muleriders couldn’t find a way to push runs across in game two, stranding runners on base in every inning except the second, for a total of nine in the game. They could only muster five hits, while playing error-free.

HSU used 12 hits in the win, for a total of 26 on the day. They also played error-free and left seven on.

Katie Corbell (4-2) tossed four innings in picking up the win, allowing four hits and four walks, and striking out two. Carley relieved in the fifth and was credited with three innings in getting her second save of the season. She gave up only a hit and walk, while fanning three.

Lucas finished with four RBI in the game behind her two homeruns, and Tiffany Stiger added a solo homer of her own.

SAU again had no extra-base hits, with senior leadoff JoAnna Jones getting two of the team’s five hits.

Sarah Holub (0-5) was the losing pitcher in four innings of work. She allowed five hits, four earned runs, and three walks, and struck out one. Alex Doyle threw the final three innings.

Southern Arkansas travels Saturday to complete their four-game conference series with Delta State. The doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. in Cleveland, Miss.

Photos by Aaron Morris, SAU sports information