Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ALVA, Okla. – The Southern Arkansas softball team came out on the down side of a pair of one-run games as they suffered a tough doubleheader sweep to Northwestern Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon at the Alva Rec Complex.
 
In the opening game, the Lady Muleriders (6-8, 1-3 GAC) fell behind 4-0 through the first three innings, but a pair of runs in the fourth and a single run in the fifth brought them to within a run, 4-3. In that fourth inning, Maddie Dow led off with a solo homerun and later in that frame; Ashley Quintana drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in the second run. In the fifth inning, Brooke Goad mirrored Dow as she unloaded for a solo homerun to lead off the inning.
 
The Rangers (11-3, 3-1 GAC) would stretch their lead back out to two-runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as Tyler Casada hit a solo homerun out to left field, making it a 5-3 game in favor of NWOSU.
 
Neither team would score in the sixth inning as the game moved to the seventh with the Lady Muleriders trailing by a pair of runs. In that inning, Dow led off and reached base on a hit-by-pitch. Two batters later, Dow was moved into scoring position as Sarah Higginbotham singled through the left side with out. Following that single, Dow was pinch-ran for by Brittany Johnson. In the ensuing at-bat, Johnson would score the Lady Muleriders' fourth run as Audrey Farfan singled into left field. The throw would come into the plate trying to cut down Johnson, allowing Higginbotham to take third and Farfan to take second.
 
In a prime situation to knot the game up or even take the lead with a hit, the Lady Muleriders were denied both as Shelby Anderson, who came on relief to start the seventh, got the next two batters out to close out the win for the Rangers, 5-4.
 
The second game of the afternoon would need more than the regulation seven innings as starting pitchers Shelby Anderson (NWOSU) and Shelby Miller (SAU) engaged in a classic duel with one another.
 
SAU's Miller spotted herself the early advantage in the top of the third inning as she doubled to left field, scoring Goad, who singled two batters prior. Miller then let that single run of support stand until the bottom of the seventh inning when the Rangers, down to their final out, scored an unearned run to tie the game at one-all.
 
In the top of the eighth, the Lady Muleriders would threaten with runners on first and second and one out, but Anderson would get the next batters to hold SAU scoreless.
 
Needing to match that zero in the run column to extend the game, Miller returned to the circle in the bottom of the eighth for the Lady Muleriders. In that frame, Miller would get the first out as her counterpart, Anderson, flied out to right field on the first pitch she saw. Consecutive singles followed to put the winning run in scoring position with one out.
 
A fielder's choice in the next at-bat gave Miller the second out of the inning, but it also moved the winning run to third base. In the next at-bat, Miller would induce a groundball but an error by the Lady Muleriders' shortstop allowed the winning run to score.
 
The Lady Muleriders will look to bounce back next weekend as they will remain on the road and take on Ouachita Baptist in a four-game series starting on Saturday, March 1. First-pitch of the first game is scheduled for 1 p.m.