JOPLIN, Mo. - She got her pitch. And she delivered. Junior infielder Gracie King deposited an 0-1 offering over the center field fence for a three-run walk off blast to send Southern Arkansas into the sub-regional final with a 5-2 win over host (2)/#13 Missouri Southern on Friday afternoon in Joplin.
King's tenth bomb of the year was one of three longballs from Mulerider hitters in the victory. Senior Jaxynn Dyson answered a two-run home run by Missouri Southern's Kara Amos in the top of the first inning with a solo blast, her tenth of the campaign, in the bottom half of the inning to cut the early action at 2-1.
On the second pitch she saw as the leadoff batter for the Muleriders in the bottom of the fifth inning, true freshman Regan Dillon launched her eighth home run of the season to tie the game at 2-2.
SAU would strand two runners on in the sixth, but would not come away empty in its final scheduled at bat as Dillon doubled to leadoff the frame, Dyson grounded out to move pinch runner Morgan McAlexander to third, and Kamryn Moctezuma walked to set the table for King's bash.
Not lost in the box score is a three-hit day from Courtney Storey. Five of SAU's eight hits went for extra bases.
Sydney Ward tossed four innings allowing just the two-run homer in the first, while scattering an additional hit and three walks with six strikeouts. Baylie Thornhill tossed the final three innings allowing just two hits to earn her 16th win of the season.
The Muleriders advance to Saturday's sub-regional final where SAU will take on Friday night's Missouri Southern-Rogers State winner with a berth in the Central Super Regional on the line. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
