COMMERCE, Texas – The Southern Arkansas softball team competed outside of the Great American Conference on Tuesday as they traveled to Commerce, Texas, for a doubleheader with Texas A&M University-Commerce at John Cain Family Field. TAMUC swept the doubleheader from SAU by scores of 10-6 and 9-7 after the start time was delayed an hour and forty-five minutes due to lightning.
The Lady Muleriders (24-21) entered Tuesday evening's doubleheader having played the previous two days; picking up a 3-1 Great American Conference series win over Southern Nazarene on Sunday and Monday.
A big second inning by the Lion offense in game one plated seven runs on five hits against SAU starter
Abby Weaver. TAMU-Commerce added a single run in the third inning to take an 8-0 lead. However, Southern Arkansas would come to life in the fourth inning as they pushed across four runs on five hits, while taking advantage of two errors.
Courtney Hudgins,
Taylor Guin, and
Chelsea Ivy registered RBI singles in the run-scoring fourth inning. After taking over for Weaver with two outs in the second,
Jami Godwin scattered five hits, allowing two runs in the final three innings.
SAU scratched two unearned runs in the sixth inning to pull with two runs, 8-6.
Ashton Atwell singled home Guin and Ivy scored on an RBI groundout by
Sarah Higginbotham. The Lions would take those two runs back on three hits in the bottom of the sixth inning, before retiring the Lady Muleriders in the seventh.
In game two, TAMUC plated four combined runs through three innings and SAU got on the board in the third courtesy of a solo homerun from the bat of Ivy. The Lions plated a pair of runs in the fourth and sixth innings and a single run in the fifth to pull ahead with a 9-1 lead, before a five-run, seventh inning rally by the Lady Muleriders fell just short.
A Lady Lion pitching change to start the seventh opened the door for SAU as Ivy led-off with a single and Atwell followed with a walk to put runners at first and second with no outs.
Maddie Dow singled to leftfield and Higginbotham followed suit with an RBI base hit, before
Audrey Farfan walked home a run. With one out,
Darian Harris connected for a two-run double that brought SAU within three, 9-6.
An RBI groundout by Guin provided the final Lady Mulerider run as TAMUC escaped the rally to take the second game and the doubleheader sweep.
SAU banged out 22 hits on the evening, led by Ivy's six that included a 4-for-5 performance in the opener. Guin and Harris each had four hits on the day, while Harris produced three RBI in the nightcap.
Southern Arkansas concludes their regular season schedule this weekend as they travel to Weatherford, Oklahoma, for a four game series with Southwestern Oklahoma St. on Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25. Friday's doubleheader is slated to begin at 2 p.m., while first pitch for Saturday's twin bill is scheduled for 11 a.m.
