Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ALVA, Okla. – The Southern Arkansas softball team belted three homeruns in the opening game of Friday's doubleheader against Northwestern Oklahoma en route to a 9-3 win. SAU would settle for the split, however, as NWOSU used a five-run first inning to spark them to an eventual 10-1 win in the second game.
 
The first of the three Lady Mulerider (6-6, 1-1 GAC) homeruns in the opener would not take long to leave the yard as Maddie Dow launched a two-run homerun on the first pitch she saw after Brooke Goad walked to leadoff the game in the previous at-bat.  The second big fly of the game came an inning later and gave the Lady Muleriders a 6-1 lead as Audrey Farfan struck for a three-run shot, scoring Sarah Higginbotham and Dow. The final homerun added a run of insurance in the top of the seventh inning as Darian Harris hit a solo bomb.
 
SAU starting pitcher Miranda Cuff would be the ultimate beneficiary of the homeruns as she earned her first collegiate win after working the first two innings of the game. Taylor Clifton would come on in relief of Cuff in the bottom of the third inning and the Rangers (9-3, 1-1 GAC) would pick up a pair of runs (one earned) to make it a 7-3 game at that time.
 
The final four innings in the circle would belong to freshman right-hander Shelby Miller. Miller would be excellent in the relief appearance as she did not allow a Ranger hit until the bottom of the seventh when they picked up a pair of hits. All told, Miller would pitch four scoreless innings, allow two hits, walk none, and strike out one. The four quality innings of relief would net Miller her first collegiate save.
 
Cuff, the Lady Muleriders' starter in game one, would get the nod in game two as well, but this time, Cuff was on the opposite end of a power surge as she would not make it out of the first inning. In that frame, the Rangers would strike for five runs (one earned) as they grabbed a 5-1 lead. Three more Ranger homeruns would follow in the game as NWOSU powered their way to a 10-1 win.
 
The two teams will be back at it for the final two games of the series on Saturday as they will play another doubleheader. First-pitch for the opening game is scheduled for noon.