CONROE, Texas – #16 Southern Arkansas concluded its opening weekend of action on Monday at the ATU Winter Invitational and the Muleriders suffered a 3-2 loss to #20 Central Oklahoma. The defeat drops SAU to 1-4 on the season.
 
The Muleriders answered UCO's first inning run which crossed via a fielding error. SAU responded in the bottom half of the frame with an RBI single off the bat of freshman transfer Gracie King that plated graduate transfer Jade Miller. Southern Arkansas struck for an additional run in the second inning as sophomore Emma Gill doubled home Taylor Murphy to give the Muleriders a 2-1 lead through two.
 
The advantage for SAU would remain at a single run as Mulerider starter Sydney Ward worked around base hits in the third, fourth and fifth innings before encountering trouble in the sixth. With two outs in the inning, UCO put runners at second and third following SAU's second fielding error of the game and after a walk loaded the bases, the Bronchos pushed across two runs on a soft line drive into centerfield that staked Central Oklahoma to a 3-2 lead.
 
The Muleriders threatened with an early base runner at third in the bottom of the sixth, but were unable to push across the tying run.
 
Ward tossed six innings in the circle allowing five hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Freshman transfer Macie Welch pitched the seventh and gave up just one hit.
 
Miller posted a four-hit day and stole a bag. Gill recorded two hits including the aforementioned double.
 
Southern Arkansas prepares for next weekend's Alvy Early Memorial Classic in Bentonville, Arkansas, where five games await.  Live coverage links, if available, can be accessed at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.