MONTICELLO, Ark. - #16 Southern Arkansas took care of business on Tuesday afternoon in Monticello as ninth-year head coach Jason Anderson's squad beat Arkansas-Monticello 5-1 and 9-2 to earn a pair of Great American Conference victories and push its win streak to five games. The Muleriders improved to 20-7 overall and 8-3 in league play. 

In the opener, Sydney Ward carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning before the Blossoms managed a base knock with two gone in the frame to break up what could have been the reigning GAC Pitcher of the Week's second no-no in a seven-day span. Ward's effort in the circle earned her win No. 11 on the season as she went the distance for the eighth time. She allowed only four hits and a walk with five strikeouts. 

Southern Arkansas managed a hit in each of the first three innings of play in game one, but it wasn't until the fourth that the Muleriders were able to break through offensively. 

Kamryn Moctezuma tripled with one out to plate Haley Nillen and Jaxynn Dyson followed with an infield single to score Moctezuma. With two outs in the frame, Courtney Storey doubled into left center to move Dyson to third. A hit-by-pitch to Emily Shipman loaded the bases for Alyssa Miller who singled back up the middle to break open the game with two more runs as Southern Arkansas supplied Ward with a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth. 

Shipman plated pinch runner Ava Dunn on a groundout in the sixth for SAU's fifth run, while the Blossoms only managed a single tally in the run column as a leadoff double to start the seventh came around to score.

Dyson went 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI in the first game. Six other Muleriders recorded a hit. Miller recorded two RBI to lead three other players that delivered run-scoring base knocks. Nillen walked twice.

In game two, Baylie Thornhill registered her second complete game of the season behind seven strikeouts to six five hits and a walk as she improved to 6-2 on the season. 

Five two-out runs crossed for Southern Arkansas in the top of the first inning as Dyson singled home a pair before Mariah Hamilton belted her second blast of the season, this one of the three-run variety out to left center field to stake Thornhill to a 5-0 lead before she threw a pitch. 

UAM responded with two runs in the home half of the frame to cut into the Muleriders' early lead. SAU would earn both of those runs back in the ensuing frames as Moctezuma hit a solo shot to right centerfield in the third and Nillen singled through the left side for an RBI knock in the sixth. An RBI groundout by Moctezuma with one out in the sixth pushed SAU out front 8-2.

The Muleriders weren't done. After Thornhill worked her third 1-2-3 inning in the sixth, Southern Arkansas added its ninth run on a two-out RBI double down the left field line by Miller.

Miller, Nillen, Hamilton and Ariana Rolle all recorded two hits. Moctezuma and Hamilton both homered to push SAU's season total in long balls to 28. The pair combined for five RBI. Dyson added two RBI. Miller and Rolle each crossed home twice as seven different Muleriders scored in the win. Like she did in game one, Nillen walked twice to give her a dozen free passes on the season.

The Muleriders prepare to host Southern Nazarene this weekend in Great American Conference play. The series is scheduled for Friday-Saturday from Dawson Field, but could be shifted due to forecasted weather in the region. Potential announcements on any changes to the weekend schedule plus live coverage links for the league series will be made available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.