ADA, Okla. – The Southern Arkansas University Softball team finished out their three-game sweep with a 4-3 win over the East Central Tigers this afternoon in Ada. Southern Arkansas scored 20 runs on 29 hits between the three games and held ECU to just 7 runs on 15 hits. Southern Arkansas will continue conference play next weekend in Searcy. The Muleriders and Harding Bison will play one on Friday with a 5 p.m. first pitch. Live coverage links will be available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
Sydney Ward earned her eighth win of the season in the final game of the Muleriders' three game series against ECU. Ariana Role stood as the solo Mulerider to record multiple hits in the contest, recording two and scoring a single run.
Southern Arkansas Notes
*More than half (4-7) of SAU's hits went for extra bases as the team notched their 24th homerun of the season and 28th double.
*Ward allowed a one-out double in the first, but stranded the runner after recording consecutive strikeouts. The Sophomore tossed 4.0 innings before passing the ball to Baylie Thornhill who took over the final 3.0 innings. Ward finished the day with three runs on four fits and three walks. Thornhill held the 11 batters she faced hitless while striking out two.
*Haley Nillen homered for the second time in the weekend series, recording SAU's first hit of the game in the second inning and scoring the first run of the game. More than half of the graduate transfer's hits this season have gone yard. Kamryn Moctezuma knocked a double to right field to bring Shipman (BB) home and score SAU's second run of the inning.
*Southern Arkansas wouldn't let ECU hold their 3-2 lead they attained in the fourth very long. Emily Shipman doubled to center to score Farquhar who had taken over pinch running responsibilities for Nillen after she had drawn a walk, and Rolle who had doubled to record SAU's first hit of the fifth inning.
East Central Notes
*ECU rallied in the third to tie the game at two runs a piece- seeing two runs on two singles. Lesko singled to score Tamayo, who had reached on a walk, and Goodman, who had singled in the team's first plate appearance of the inning.
*ECU took a one-run lead in the fourth, forcing a run across with a one-out single.
*The Tigers used three arms that combined to allow seven hits. T. Harris pitched the first 4.1 innings for ECU, allowing three runs on five hits. Harris struck out five batters.
