MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Just 27 games into her sophomore season and Southern Arkansas designated player Maddie Dow is now the career-leader in homeruns as she launched her 28th career longball in the second game of SAU's conference doubleheader against Arkansas-Monticello on Wednesday afternoon at Lady Mulerider Field.
 
Dow's record-setting homer also helped SAU complete the twin-bill sweep as the Lady Muleriders (16-11, 8-7 GAC) knocked off the Great American Conference-leading Cotton Blossoms (16-7, 8-4 GAC) 3-1 in game one and 7-1 in the night cap.
 
In game one neither team would score through the first three innings as each team's starter matched one another in the circle. In the top of the fourth, however, UAM broke the scoreless affair with one run in the frame. That one run by UAM easily could have been a lot more, but SAU starter Jami Godwin did a great job of minimizing the damage after the Cotton Blossoms had the bases loaded with no outs following the RBI hit to put UAM up 1-0.
 
Following that RBI base hit, Godwin induced a fielder's choice ground out to the plate, a swinging strikeout, and a harmless flyout to centerfield to end the inning.
 
In the bottom of the inning, SAU would score three runs on the strength of a three-run homerun out to centerfield off the bat of Courtney Hudgins. The homerun was Hudgins' second of the season and proved to be the game-winner as Godwin continued to throw outs and keep the Cotton Blossoms off the scoreboard.
 
UAM would put together a rally in the top of the seventh off of Godwin to chase her from the start with two outs in the frame. Reliving Godwin and coming into the game with a bases loaded, two-out jam was Chancy Williams.
 
Williams would only have to face one batter in her outing as she picked up a called strike three on a full-count pitch to end the game. The punch-out netted Williams her first career save.
 
In the nightcap, UAM once again scored first, this time with a single run in the first inning. Just as in the first game as well, the one run scored could have been more as the Cotton Blossoms had loaded the bases with one out, but game two starter Miranda Cuff worked out of the inning without further damage.
 
In the bottom of the first, the Lady Mulerider offense got that run back, plus two more as the three-run inning put SAU up 3-1. The first two runs in the inning came home in Ashton Atwell's at-bat as he single into left field scored Chelsea Ivy from third base and a misplay in left field allowed Dow to score from second base. Later in the inning, Audrey Farfan singled up the middle to score Atwell and also spell the end of the outing for UAM starter McKenzie Ashby.
 
An inning later, Atwell would collect another RBI as she laced a single off the glove of the UAM third baseman to give the Lady Muleriders a 4-1 lead.
 
That early three-run cushion would prove to be more than enough for Cuff in the circle as she would go on to pitch the rest of the game and only allow one more hit from the UAM offense.
 
In the fifth, SAU added two more runs, highlighted by Dow's record-setting homerun to lead off the inning. An inning later, Dow added more run of insurance as she singled through the left side to bring the game to its final score of 7-1.
 
The Lady Muleriders will now prepare for a pivotal four-game GAC series at home against Southeastern Oklahoma. The series is set to begin on Saturday, March 28 with a first-pitch time of 2 p.m. Saturday's doubleheader is also "Bark at the Park" day and fans are invited to bring their pets to the park, but there is a $10 admission charge for each pet. Regular donations of cash or goods will also be collected. Each time the Lady Muleriders score as well, as bucket for loose change will be passed around.