BENTONVILLE, Ark. – The Lady Mulerider softball team played a closely-contested six innings with No. 1- seeded Harding on Championship Saturday at the GAC Tournament in Bentonville, but ended up with the loss in the seventh on a key offensive inning for the Lady Bisons to claim the runner-up title in the tournament.
TEAM RECORDS
Southern Arkansas Lady Muleriders: 45-16
Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm: 54-6
PITCHING DECISIONS
W: Autumn Humes (30-1)
L:
Jill Roye (5-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- SAU scratched the first run in the bottom of the first inning to take the early lead. Jill Roye reached on a fielding error then advanced to second base on a wild pitch before she was later brought in with an RBI single off the bat of Monica Islava.
- Harding stranded a base runner in the first and second innings and eventually tied the game at 1-all in the top of the third. A single to centerfield started the rally as that runner eventually found her way to third base after stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly to left field from Payton Mills plated the tying run in the frame.
- In the bottom of the fourth, SAU took the lead as Megan Godoyo drew a 2-out walk and then was doubled home by Marina Duran to make it 2-1, SAU.
- Harding tied the game again in the sixth with a pair of back-to-back doubles. Kimmy Hendricks doubled to put herself in scoring position as she was plated a batter later with an RBI double from Amanda Berdon.
- The Lady Bisons ran away with the lead in the top of the seventh after scoring seven runs on five hits aided by one error. A pinch-hit double, a walk, and a fielding error loaded the bases with 2-outs and Autumn Humes plated the go-ahead runs with a 2-RBI double down the left field line. Harding scored the next five runs with 2-outs and claimed the 9-2 lead.
- SAU down to their final 3-outs could not find their way out of the hole and suffered the loss.
IN THE CIRCLE
- Jill Roye suffered the loss in the circle for SAU after coming in with the 2-1 scoring advantage in the fifth and struck out a pair of hitters.
- Roye allowed five runs on five hits in 2.2 innings pitched.
- Peyton Jenkins started the game in the circle for SAU allowing just one run to score through four innings pitched before she was brought back in in the seventh with a 2-run deficit and closed out the game with four runs allowed on five hits.
AT THE PLATE
- Islava had the first RBI of the game on a 2-out hit.
- Duran had the tie-breaking RBI of the game with a double.
- Miller registered a hit in the game.
- Goad walked twice and Godoyo walked once.
- Roye and Godoyo each scored a run.