RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Senior outfielder Ashton Atwell accounted for both of No. 15 Southern Arkansas' RBI, including a run-scoring single in the 8^th inning of Wednesday afternoon's opening game of the NCAA Central Region Super Regional that pushed the Lady Muleriders past No. 7 Arkansas Tech 2-1 as they claimed game one of the three-game series at the Chartwells Women's Sports Complex.
 
The Lady Muleriders (50-9) and the Golden Suns (49-10) conclude the three-game set tomorrow with a 1 p.m. first-pitch, followed by an "if-necessary" game at 3:30 p.m.
 
After splitting the Great American Conference regular season series earlier this spring, Wednesday's Super Regional opener showcased much of the same action displayed during early-April's four game set. Stout pitching by both Southern Arkansas' Kimmy Beasley and Arkansas Tech's Jalissa Gum set the stage for the extra-inning affair as the clubs combined for 10 hits, while stranding a collective 16 runners on base.
 
Beasley (25-4) notched her 20^th complete game of the season as she went the full eight innings of action, scattering six hits, while striking out seven and allowing just one run which came on a two-out RBI-double by Gum in the third inning that tied the game at a run apiece.
 
Prior to Gum's game tying RBI in the third-inning, Atwell left the yard in the second-inning as she struck a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence giving SAU a 1-0 lead, while igniting the SAU faithful in the process.
 
After Tech tied it in the bottom half of the third, both starters settled in in the circle and worked around a few situations with runners in scoring position as both GAC clubs combined to strand 11 of their aforementioned 16 runners left on, from the fourth inning on. That included Beasley working around Golden Sun runners at first and second in the eighth inning to preserve the win.
 
Darian Harris drew a one-out walk in the eighth inning and Maddie Dow followed with a single through the left-side to put runners at first and second for Atwell. With the outfield playing back and a cross-wind becoming a decisive factor, Atwell dropped a 1-2 offering into shallow right field that scored Harris who never broke stride from second to give the Lady Muleriders a 2-1 advantage as the eventual game-winning run.
 
Dow and Summer Ehrig added the other two hits for Southern Arkansas, while Atwell and Harris tallied a run scored each. The Lady Muleriders drew six walks led by Taylor Guin and Harris who collected two apiece. SAU was perfect in the field, highlighted by a pair of run-saving grabs from Atwell in right field.
 
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