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Southern Arkansas LADY MULERIDERS (15-11, 10-6 GAC) |
vs. Arkansas Tech GOLDEN SUNS (10-12, 3-9 GAC)
Friday, March 21 @ 4 p.m. | DH
Saturday, March 22 @ 1 p.m. | DH
Russellville, Ark. (Chartwells Complex)
Live Stats | Live Audio (ATU Feed) |
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Series Notes (PDF)
Leading Off
The Southern Arkansas softball team is looking to build on the four-game sweep that they picked up against Harding this past weekend. In that series, the Lady Muleriders dominated all facets of the game as they limited the Lady Bisons to a .191 average (17-for-89) and just five runs scored in the four games. Conversely, the Lady Muleriders hit .361 (39-for-108) and scored 29 runs.
Thanks to that four-game sweep, the Lady Muleriders are now in the top half of the GAC standings as they will enter this weekend in fourth-place with a 10-6 GAC mark.
Statistically, the Lady Muleriders are still led by the trio of true freshmen in
Maddie Dow,
Brooke Goad, and
Shelby Miller. Miller leads the team in hitting with a .404 average (36-of-89), while Goad leads the way in homeruns with 11 and Dow leading in RBIs with 26. Upperclassmen
Audrey Farfan and
Sarah Higginbotham have also contributed significanly as both are hitting over .350 and have combined for 35 RBI. In the circle, the Lady Muleriders are paced by
Hanna Gill and Miller. The two have ERAs in the three's and combine for 11 of the team's 15 wins. Miller also leads the team with four saves.
For Tech, they are led in hitting by Ashley Keen with a .435 average (30-for-69). She also leads the team in HRs (5) and RBI (19). In pitching, Sydnee Clark and Victoria Huie split the duties. The two combine for eight of the team's 10 wins.
Slugging it Out
Through 26 games of the season, the Lady Muleriders have showed their lineup has some potent power potential as they have clubbed out 69 extra-base hits. 30 of those left the yard while 37 went for doubles and two have gone for triples. As a team, the Lady Muleriders have a .490 slugging percentage.
Youth Movement
So far this season, head coach Corey Lyon has penned a familiar lineup each game and it is one that features a lot of young and talented players. Through 26 games, three true freshmen have started every game.
Gill returns as SAU's Ace
Having pitched just two seasons at SAU, junior starting pitcher
Hanna Gill has already set nine school records and is on the cusp of adding several other records to her name in 2014. Last year, Gill anchored the Lady Mulerider pitching rotation and her outstanding year in the circle landed her All- GAC First-Team honors.
It's Miller Time
Freshman utility player
Shelby Miller has had a tremendous start to her collegiate career. A native of Brazoria, Texas, Miller currently leads the pitching staff in strikeouts (59), wins (6), and has a team-best four saves. While Miller has been good in the circle, she has been even better in the batter's box as she is first on the team with a .404 average (36-for-89). 11 of those hits have gone for extra-bases as she is third on the team in slugging% (.629).
Powered by Goad
Freshman outfielder
Brooke Goad has hit in the leadoff spot in all 26 games this season, but that does not mean that Goad is not one of the top power threats in the GAC. So far this season, Goad has belted 11 homeruns, ranking her first in the GAC and seventh in NCAA Division II. Goad is now just two homeruns shy of settin the SAU single-season record.
Runs, Runs, Runs
Through 26 games this season, it has been evident that when the Lady Muleriders score more than two runs in a game, they have a great chance of winning. So far, in games in which they have two or fewer runs, they are 1-5. When they have scored three or more runs in a game, they are 14-6, When they score 10 or more runs, they are 5-0.
Milestone Win #350
The Lady Muleriders' 4-1 win over Ouachita Baptist in the series finale on March 1 not only gave SAU a series win, but it also gave the program their 350th win. The program started at SAU in 1999.
