Softball | 5/10/2017 8:28:00 PM
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(5) SOUTHERN ARKANSAS (NFCA #21)
LADY MULERIDERS
45-16 (32-12 GAC) |
(4) WINONA STATE (NFCA - RV)
WARRIORS
49-11 (27-3 NSIC) |
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GAME NOTES (PDF)
Leading Off
For the second-straight year and third in the last four, the Southern Arkansas softball team will play in a NCAA Regional Tournament as the Lady Muleriders earned an at-large bid and the No. 5-seed in the Central Region. As the No. 5-seed, SAU will play No. 4-seed Winona State in the first game on Thursday.
The Lady Muleriders will also play the entirety of the double-elimination, four-team sub-regional in Searcy as Harding University earned the top-overall seed in the region and hosting rights. Joining SAU, Harding and Winona at the Searcy Regional is No. 8-seed Missouri Western State. The Griffons will play Harding for each team's first game after the completion of SAU and Winona State.
Entering the regional, SAU remains of of the top offenses left playing as they top the GAC in nine offensive categories: slugging percentage (.544), on-base percentage (.416), runs scored (406), hits (523), RBIs (372), doubles (91), home runs (93), total bases (901), and walks (234).
The lineup responsible for that high offensive production features five players that have played and started in almost all 61 games while also hitting .325 or better with all having 60 or more hits. Four of those five players have 45 or more
RBIs.
Additionally, at least one Lady Mulerider boasts the best mark in 10 offensive categories within the GAC. Four Lady Muleriders have double-digit home runs and combined make up for over 69 percent of SAU's 93 total home runs with a total of 64 collectively.
A relatively unheralded pitching staff possesses both a youth and veteran presence in starters freshman
Victoria Taylor (1.80 ERA) and senior
Kaylee Garner (1.83 ERA). The duo have combined for 37 of SAU's 45 wins, 278 strikeouts to just 62 walks and 19 complete games, while Garner has tossed a no-hitter.
The bullpen has been solid as well as
Jill Roye has five wins and three saves in 23 appearances and sports a 1.59 ERA with a 42-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Peyton Jenkins is 3-3 on the season with two saves and owns a 2.01 ERA in 18 appearances. Collectively, opponents are hitting just .233 against the Lady Mulerider pitching staff.
For Winona State, the Warriors are hitting .330 as a team with 8 doubles, 14 triples, 23 home runs, and 339 runs scored. In the circle, the Warriors have a 1.27 team ERA and have struck out 296 opposing batters while issuing 96 bases on balls.
The leading hitter is Lani Van Zyl at .411. She leads the team in doubles (18), triples (4) and RBIs (41) while being second in home runs with five. McKenna Larsen is 24-4 overall and has the lowest ERA among starters at 0.83. Jordyn Kleman is the other primary starter and she has the most strikeouts on the team with 180 in 168.0 innings pitched.
