MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas University softball team will make their first trip to Bethany, Oklahoma, since 2018, and will take on Southern Nazarene for the first time since the 2019 season. The Muleriders 31-13 (22-5 GAC) will take on the Crimson Storm 21-21 (17-9 GAC) in a three game Great American Conference series that will begin on Friday afternoon with a double header at 2:00 p.m. followed by a single game at noon on Saturday to close out the series.

The GAC leading Muleriders come into this weekend's series red hot, as they have not won eight straight games including two big wins over Delta State earlier this week. SAU outhit DSU 32-4 in Tuesday afternoons double-header as they blasted six home runs. The pitching was equally as well as Sydney Ward fired a complete game not hitter in game one of the DH.

SAU's team batting average continues to rise game-by-game as the Muleriders are now hitting .296 on the year. The Muleriders have outscored their opponents 229-101, and have outhit the opposition 350-229.

Jade Miller had a big day Tuesday as she added five hits, six RBI, three runs, and two home runs to her already daunting season totals. J. Miller has now collected 66 base knocks, 41 runs, 31 RBI and 11 home runs. Jaxynn Dyson has continued to swing the stick well as she is second on the team with 45 hits, and leads the Muleriders with 37 RBI.

Tiare Lee has been another Mulerider that has had a hot bat in recent weeks as she collected six hits on Tuesday afternoon to reach 30 on the year. Lee is third on the team with 27 RBI. Alese Casper is second on the squad in hits (45) and runs (35).

The Mulerider pitching staff continues to dominate as they have a 1.72 staff ERA. The staff also added a no-hitter to their list of accomplishments on Tuesday afternoon as Ward picked up her team leading 15^th win of the season to move to 15-4 on the season in the no-hit effort.

Ward leads the staff with 110.2 innings pitched and 118 strikeouts. The Natural State native has allowed 78 hits and 35 runs (29 earned) to give her a 1.83 ERA. Kiana Pogroszewski carries a 12-4 record and leads the team with a 1.37 ERA. KP has punched out 106 batters to only 22 walks and has allowed 30 runs (21 earned). Both Baylie Thornhill and Macie Welch have won two games in the circle for SAU, and they have both pitched 37.2 innings. Thornhill leads the staff with a 1.49 ERA.

The Crimson Storm come into the weekend with a .295 team batting average, and they have been outscored 225-194 and outhit 343-341 by opponents. SNU has two players with 50 or more hits on the year, as Liana Heshiki leads the team with 55, while Natalie Jones is second with 53. Heshiki leads the Crimson Storm with 25 RBI along with teammate Emma Swearigen, while Jones leads the team in runs with 27. Anna Icenhower has been the top power hitter for SNU has she leads them with seven home runs.

SNU's top arm in the circle is Jennifer Romero-Ivarson who carries a 14-9 record through 149.0 innings pitched. She holds a 3.71 ERA and has struck out 113 batters, while allowing 149 hits and 97 runs (79 earned). Chelsea Vandiver is second on the team with 72.2 innings pitched SNU and holds a 2-9 record. Hannah Sattler holds a 5-0 record and has tossed 34.2 innings.

You can find live links to this weekend's series here.