[April 13, 2008]

By: Houston Taylor

DECATUR, Ala. – Southern Arkansas closed out the Gulf South Conference Crossover Sunday at Wilson Morgan Park with a six-inning 16-1 loss to third-ranked Alabama-Huntsville. It was a crossover the Lady Muleriders (7-26, 2-19 GSC) would like to forget as they also dropped Saturday’s games 11-0 to North Alabama and 10-3 to No. 20 Valdosta State, going winless in their five games at the event.

The highly ranked Chargers (41-6, 12-4 GSC) were slow out of the gates, but pounced with six runs in the third inning, and added solos in the fourth and fifth, before exploding for an eight-run sixth to end it. They did their damage on 13 hits, with six for extra bases, including three homeruns, had one error, and stranded six. SAU finished with seven hits, but aided UAH with five errors, and also left six on base.

Of the Chargers 16 runs in the game, only six were earned.

Caitlin Lee had a two-run homer in the third inning; Erin Duke added a solo shot in the fourth; and pinch-hitter Sage Woodham unloaded with a two-run blast in the sixth for Alabama-Huntsville. They also collected three doubles in the game.

Second baseman Joanna Jones plated Southern Arkansas’ only run with a solo homer in the fifth inning. Centerfielder Samantha Hoelscher and catcher Tancy Matthews each had two hits in the game.

Lee (14-0) tossed 4 2/3 innings in getting the win for the Chargers.

Alex Doyle (3-8) started in the circle for the Lady Muleriders and went 2 2/3 innings in taking the loss. She allowed three hits, six runs, of which two were earned, and walked two.

North Alabama’s Megan Niesel threw a no-hitter in shutting down SAU in their opener on Saturday. The 11-0 game ended in five innings as the Lions pushed six runs across in the third inning. Niesel (12-6) faced just two batters over her minimum as she walked two, while striking out four in her stint.

UNA (22-16, 10-7 GSC) had 13 hits, played error-free, and stranded nine runners. Southern Arkansas committed two errors and left two on.

Cheyenne Savony (4-10) took the loss with 1 2/3 innings of work. She gave up five hits, five runs of which two were earned, and walked one.

Valdosta State (39-9, 13-3 GSC) used 11 hits in their 10-3 victory. The Lady Muleriders jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first behind first baseman Kirstie Reed’s three-run homer, but the Lady Blazers came back with four runs in the bottom half, three coming on Shannon Cleland’s homerun.

VSU played error-free and stranded seven runners in the game, while SAU had eight hits, committed one error, and left five on.

Valdosta also got back-to-back solo homers in the fourth inning from Robin Williams and Kristina Ely.

Jones and Savony led Southern Arkansas with two hits each.

Ashley Hill (10-1) threw 4 2/3 innings in relief to pick up the win for the twentieth-ranked Lady Blazers.

Sarah Holub (0-7) lasted 3 2/3 innings in taking the loss. She surrendered 10 hits, nine earned runs, and two walks, while striking out three.

The Lady Muleriders host Christian Brothers Wednesday in a 2 p.m. doubleheader.