MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas Softball team (22-8) will head to Shawnee, Oklahoma this weekend for three against the RV Oklahoma Baptist Bison (25-8). The conference rivals share the same GAC record (10-4) alongside Harding. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday, March 4 with the double header beginning at 1 p.n. on Saturday. Live coverage links will be available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
Southern Arkansas Notes
At the Plate: Alyssa Miller tops the Muleriders with a .392 batting average (38-97) to rank fourth in the GAC (50 ABs). Ariana Rolle ranks 6th in the conference with her .367 average (33-90). Jaxynn Dyson is the final Mulerider to post a batting average above .300 (.333, 24-72). Dyson has drawn the most walks on the team (18) and posts the second-best slugging percentage (.542).
Recent Riders: SAU recorded their third Great American Conference series win last weekend against Southern Nazarene. The Muleriders took two of three from the Crimson Storm, sandwiching a 3-2 (8) loss between a 4-3 win in game one and 1-0 win in game three.
In the Polls: The Muleriders have remained ranked in the NFCA top 25 coached poll throughout all six weeks. Their most recent release saw the Magnolia team ranked 17th.
Muleriders versus Bison: The Muleriders have never lost a conference series to the Bison and have only dropped a solo game to the rival team since their first season in the GAC in 2016. This one loss came in Shawnee, but SAU's away record at Oklahoma Baptist still stands as an impressive 10-1. Since OBU joined the conferece, the Muleriders have scored have seen 187 runs versus OBU's 31. Last season in Magnolia, the Muleriders defeated the Bison 9-0 (5), 3-0, and 8-1 on the final day. The series featured standout performances from Gracie King and Alyssa Miller. King batted .571 (4-7) with a home run while Miller went 4-8 with two doubles against OBU. Ward tossed all 5.0 innings in game one where she shutout the Bison, allowing just two hits while striking out eight. She returned to the circle for the final game where she saw one run on two hits while striking out 12. Baylie Thornhill worked in relied of Ward in game three, tossing the final inning, holding the Bison hitless while striking out two of the three batters she faced.
Oklahoma Baptist Notes
Recent Bison: The Bison are currently on a three-game win streak after sweeping the UAM Blossoms last weekend. OBU won 5-0 in game one of the Saturday double header before making quick work of the Blossoms in game two where they won 10-1 in five innings. Game three saw the Bison shut out UAM once more for good measure. The sweep represented their second of the season (NWOSU). The Bison are 2-2 in GAC series with losses against Harding and Southeastern Oklahoma.
Bison at Bat: The top three teams in the Great American Conference (Harding, OK Bap, SAU) also possess the three best batting averages in the conference. Oklahoma Baptist stands alongside Harding as the two teams who post averages over .300. OBU's .305 average (282-925) is led by two Bison who post .400 averages. Emily Adler leads with a .433 (45-104) average while teammate Kennedy Clark posts a .400 BA (30-75). Adler posts the best conference average of all athletes with 50 or more at bats while Clark ranks third.
It's Kayleigh Jones' World and We're Just Living in it: Kayleigh Jones has tossed 30 more innings than any other GAC pitcher and posts an ERA almost .74 better than the next closest. Her wildly impressive 0.66 ERA stems from her allowed 12 runs through her 128.0 innings pitched and ranks fifth nationally. Jones additionally is the only Great American Conference athlete to have struck out more than 100 batters, and has even breached 200 with 201 on the season. The 2023 4 times pitcher of the week has tossed 14 complete games and is allowing just an average 3.89 hits per game. Jones has tossed seven shutouts this season which stands as the second best nationally. In 2022, the Muleriders dealt Jones two losses. Her first appearance saw eight runs on eight hits throughout 3.2 innings while day two featured a 1.1 inning appearance where she allowed four runs on four hits.
