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Southern Arkansas LADY MULERIDERS (18-14, 13-9 GAC) |
at Southeastern Oklahoma SAVAGE STORM (21-8, 14-4 GAC)
Friday, March 28 @ 1 p.m. | DH
Saturday, March 29 @ 11 a.m. | DH
Durant, Okla. (SE Softball Field)
Live Stats |
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SERIES NOTES (PDF)
Leading Off
The Southern Arkansas softball team is set for one of their biggest weekends this year as they travel to Durant, Okla. to take on Southeastern Oklahoma in four-game series. Perennial softball powers in the Great American Conference, the Savage Storm find themselves at the top of the league once more heading into this weekend.
On the year, the Savage Storm are 21-8 overall and 14-4 in the GAC. They recently had a season-long 11-game winning streak halted this past Tuesday by East Central. The Lady Muleriders will enter with an 18-14 overall record and a 13-9 mark in the GAC. On Tuesday, SAU split a doubleheader with UAM.
Statistically, the Lady Muleriders are led by a trio of outstanding Freshmen.
Shelby Miller currently leads the team in average at .413 (45-of-109) while
Brooke Goad leads the team in HRs with 14 and
Maddie Dow leads the team in RBIs with 29. Upperclassmen
Sarah Higginbotham and
Audrey Farfan have been contributors offensively as well as both are hitting over .315.
In terms of pitching, the Lady Muleriders are likely to use a three-pitcher rotation with Miller,
Hanna Gill, and
Miranda Cuff all seeing time in the circle. Miller leads the staff in wins (7), innings pitched (107.2), and strikeouts (73).
For the Savage Storm, they are led offensively by Sydney Kramer, Jessica Simmons, and Laramie Bell. All three are hitting over .400. In terms of pitching, SE is paced by Mindy McElroy and Jacee Bennett. McElroy leads the club with 11 wins and has a team-low 1.76 ERA. Bennett leads the team in saves with five.
Slugging it Out
Through 32 games of the season, the Lady Muleriders have showed their lineup has some potent power potential as they have clubbed out 83 extra-base hits. 36 of those left the yard while 45 have gone for doubles and two have gone for triples. As a team, the Lady Muleriders have a .477 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 33 games, three true freshmen have started every game. Additionally, three sophomores have seen regular action.
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 (73), wins (7), and has a single-season record six 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 .413 average (45-for-109). 13 of those hits have gone for extra-bases as she is second on the team in slugging% (.615).
Powered by Goad
Freshman outfielder
Brooke Goad has hit in the leadoff spot in all 32 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 a SAU single-season record 14 homeruns, ranking her first in the GAC and fifth in NCAA Division II. Goad is now just two homeruns shy of tying the GAC single-season record.
Through 32 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 1-7. When they have scored three or more runs in a game, they are 17-7, 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.
