MAGNOLIA, Ark. – #7 Southern Arkansas picked up where it left off on Friday as the Muleriders used 19 hits to score 13 runs, while receiving solid pitching performances from seniors Sydney Wader and Victoria Taylor to down Harding 8-1 and 5-0 on Saturday afternoon from Dawson Field inside the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex. SAU sweeps the Great American Conference opening series to improve to 14-2 on the season with an early unblemished league record of 4-0. The Muleriders have won eight-straight games and will put that streak on the line next weekend in Alva as Northwestern Oklahoma awaits in the team's first true road series of the season.
 
In the opener, Wader was once again compact as she scattered four hits, two walks and a run to fan seven and improve to 8-0 on the season behind her fifth complete game of the campaign. In the series finale, Taylor replicated her domination from the previous night as she again allowed just one hit in five innings, while punching out a dozen Lady Bisons.
 
At the plate, seven of the team's 19 hits went for extra bases as home runs were hit by freshman Jaxynn Dyson and seniors Elisa Favela, Christina Hill, and Faith Otts. Favela and Otts along with sophomore Sarah Evans all registered doubles as well.
 
Hill homered in the fourth inning of game one to cushion Wader's start at 3-1, while Dyson (2-run) and Otts (3-run) both left the yard as part of a five-run sixth inning that broke the game open. In the finale, Otts, Favela and Evans all doubled in the first inning as the Muleriders put up two early runs against the Lady Bisons and in the fifth, Favela cranked a three-run blast, before tossing a perfect final two innings in relief of Taylor to shore up the starter's fifth win of the season.
 
Favela had five hits on the day, Otts added four and the pair each delivered four RBI. Senior Liana Suesue and Otts both scored three runs.
 
During the team's eight-game win streak, the Muleriders have outscored their opponents 82-5.