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Box Score 2 BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Playing in two games on the first day of the Alvy Early Memorial Classic, the #16 Southern Arkansas University softball team split on the day as they took down Maryville University 8-3 in game one and fell to University of Illinois Springfield 6-5 in game two. SAU moves to 2-5 on the season.
The Muleriders blasted five home runs on the day, including two by grad transfer
Tiare Lee, who was seeing her first action of the season.
Sarah Evans also hit two home runs while
Emma Gill connected on one.
SAU 8 MU 3
Game one saw SAU take on Maryville University who was playing in their first game of the season. SAU took down the Saints behind a strong outing from transfer pitcher
Sydney Ward who collected her second win of the season. Warred tossed 6.0 innings of one hit ball while striking out eight batters and allowing three runs (two earned).
Kiana Pogroszewski pitched the final inning and struck out two batters. Playing in her first game as a Mulerider, Lee led SAU with five RBI behind a two run home run and a three run home run. Uchena Jong Loy picked plated two runs for SAU on a two run blast, while
Sarah Evans connected on a solo shot to help lift the Muleriders past the Saints.
UIS 6 SAU 5
Despite collecting more hits than UIS (12-9), a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh inning would be the deciding factor as the Prairie Stars were able to just squeak past the Muleriders. After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning,
Madison Miller plated the first run of the game for SAU as she drove in Evans. The Prairie Stars would plate one run in the second inning on an error, but the Muleriders would answer once again in the top of the fourth on a solo shot from Gill.
UIS would take advantage of another SAU error in the bottom of the fourth inning as they were able to score one run followed by two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-2 lead.
Natalie Phillips was able to put a run on the board for SAU as she crossed home on a sac fly from grad transfer
Taylor Murphy to cut the deficit to two runs. The Muleriders were able to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning as Evans blasted her second homer of the day to plate to runs. UIS was able to awnser in the bottom of the seventh after Danielle Dennis crossed the plate on a Taylor Zawacki single.
Macie Welch got the start for SAU and went 4.0 innings while striking out a career high nine. Welch allowed seven hits and five runs (three earned).
Baylie Thornhill took the loss after going 2.2 innings and striking out three while allowing two hits and one run. Gill collected three hits, while Evans, Lee, and Monson all had two hits.
The Muleriders will play two games tomorrow with the first starting at 12:00 p.m. against Missouri Western State University. SAU will take on Lincoln University of Missouri in game two at 2:00 p.m.
