BENTONVILLE, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas Lady Mulerider softball team began play in the UAM 8-State Classic in Bentonville, Arkansas, on Friday morning and suffered a 12-4 loss to Northwest Missouri State University, but bounced back in their second game by defeating Lindenwood University (Mo.) 14-3.
The Lady Muleriders (4-4) battled freezing temperatures at the start of their 9 a.m. matchup along with an early deficit as Northwest Missouri plated eight runs in the first three innings. Southern Arkansas found the scoreboard in the bottom half of the third inning as
Brooke Goad connected on a two-run double to left field.
Ashton Atwell would single through the four-hole, scoring Goad and cutting the Bearcat lead to 8-3.
Chelsea Ivy started the run-scoring third inning with a bunt single and
Courtney Hudgins followed suit with a base hit into left field that set runners at first and second for Goad's aforementioned two-RBI double.
The Bearcats would add two more runs in the sixth and seventh innings, before SAU added a run in the final frame. Ivy doubled down the left field line and with two outs,
Darian Harris doubled to left, scoring Ivy for the final Lady Mulerider tally.
Ivy collected two hits and scored twice while Goad added two RBIs.
SAU broke out offensively in the second game against Lindenwood as the Lady Muleriders produced 15 hits, including five homeruns in the win.
With one out in the top of the first, Harris slugged a solo shot to put SAU up 1-0 early. Lindenwood would answer with an unearned run in the bottom half of the first and second innings off of SAU starter
Miranda Cuff.
Four consecutive singles put Southern Arkansas back on top 3-2 in the 3
rd inning. Goad, Harris and Atwell all produced base hits that loaded the bases for
Maddie Dow who delivered with a two-run single that sent Atwell to second.
Summer Ehrig would reach first on a right field single with one out that loaded the bases. A
Chelsea Jordan sac fly scored Dow to make it 4-2 Lady Muleriders.
Ivy connected for a two-out three-run homerun that increased the SAU lead to 7-2. Cuff retired the side in the bottom half of the third and the Lady Muleriders wasted no time padding their lead. Goad led off the fourth inning with a solo homer to center field and Atwell duplicated it one out later to give Southern Arkansas a seven-run lead.
Cuff again retired the Lady Lions in order in the fourth and worked around a one-out double in the fifth before Southern Arkansas used the sixth inning to put the game out of reach. Dow joined in on the long-ball act as she solo homered to left field to leadoff what would eventually be the final inning. A bases loaded single by Goad, several batters later, scored two runs to make it 13-2 SAU, before Harris ended the scoring attack with a sacrifice fly.
Five Lady Muleriders recorded multiple hits, including three apiece form Goad and Atwell. Ivy matched a career-high four RBIs and Dow and Goad collected three RBIs apiece while nine SAU players scored at least one run. Cuff picked up her first win of the year and improved to 1-1.
Southern Arkansas begins day two in the UAM 8-State Classic with an 11 a.m. matchup against Truman State of the Great Lakes Valley Conference followed by a 3 p.m. first pitch with Missouri Western State University of the MIAA. Sunday's games of the Classic have been canceled due to severe weather possibilities that would have potentially delayed the tournament and created hazardous travel conditions for the teams involved.
Check out muleriderathletics.com for recaps on Saturday's "8-State Classic" action and for news leading up to the Lady Muleriders' home opener on February 20.
