YOUNGSVILLE, La. (Assurance Park) – The 2024 softball season has officially opened, and with that comes Mulerider Softball starting the campaign in wild fashion as they wrapped things up for their second trip to the heavily competitive Mardi Gras Invitational. No. 13 Southern Arkansas began their newest venture with a 3-1 start against squads such as Delta State (W, 7-3), Augustana (SD) (W, 8-0 in 5), Union (Tenn.) (W, 5-4), Texas A&M-Kingsville (L, 1-2). Due to inclement weather, Southern Arkansas' matchup against Tuskegee was cancelled. 
Vs. Delta State (Feb. 1 | 3:00 PM)
Offensive: Kicking her sophomore year off in quality fashion was Regan Dillon as she was responsible for two bombs against the Lady Statemen out of Delta State. Her shots past the fence resulted in three runners batted in to give Southern Arkansas the push needed to secure the victory. Dillon went 3-3 in the season-opener with three hits, two runs, and two walks.
Defensive: Sydney Ward earned her first win of the season following a four-inning game allowing four hits against 16 batters prior to Corie Byrd coming into relieve Ward.
Dillon's first homerun resulted in a two-run dinger in the top of the second for an early 2-0 lead. After holding DSU to no runs in the bottom second, Cassidy Lear then knocked a single for another run to add on to the lead (3-0). Delta then made their presence known as they accounted for three runs in the third off of Sydney Ward. With the game tied back up, the Muleriders came to the plate in the top of the fourth unfazed as Dillon accounted for her second blast to left field for another run. Bella Angelo, in her SAU debut, added to the advantage as she took the hit by pitch to advance the loaded bases and send America Rubio home. Haley Nillen came up next to bat and advanced Gracie King in with her fly out to left field. Southern Arkansas then prevented Delta State from making their way around the bases while also adding on another run from King batting in Ava Dunn.
Vs. Augustana (SD) (Feb. 1 | 5:30 PM)
Offensive: Following the events earlier in the afternoon, the Muleriders looked towards their matchup against reigning Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Champions, the Augustana Vikings and their reigning NSIC Player of the Year Torri Chute. Southern Arkansas recorded four homeruns, in which three went for multiple runs.
Defense: Brinson Rogers made her Mulerider debut against the reigning NSIC champions in which she allowed just four hits with no runs, or wild pitches and walked just one batter. Rogers shutout the Vikings in all five of her innings played as she recorded three K's as well.
To start the contest, SAU shut down Augustana in the top of the first in three up three down form. Southern Arkansas showed their threat in the bottom of the first as they were able to have three runners get on bags early, but left all three there to end the inning. The Vikings showed more of their ability in the second, but would end up leaving three runners on with two of their four hits. Dillon once again opened the game up for the Muleriders in the second as she recorded a blast past left field for a three-run dinger. SAU then proceeded to shut down Augustana's offense again with another 1-2-3 inning which was then followed by a three-run inning with a two-run homer from newcomer Jenna Huey and a solo-shot from Haley Nillen. Neither team could affect the score in the fourth and the Muleriders once again silenced the Vikings in the top of the fifth. To break the silence and end the night was the senior Kamryn Moctezuma with a two-run dinger to run-rule the 2023 NSIC champions.
Vs. Union (Tenn.) (Feb. 2 | 4:30 PM)
Offensive: Rubio, in her second day as a Mulerider showed up in a big way, along with Dillon. The transfer out of Texas A&M-Commerce notched a pair of hits, a homerun, and an RBI. Dillon her fourth bomb in just her third game of the season to account for one RBI and two runs
Defensive: Rogers started the day for SAU in the circle against Union, but after allowing four runs, Byrd relieved the Peach State native to pitch a shutout for the remainder of the contest.
This matchup saw all kinds of excitement, but for the first six and a half innings, that excitement stayed with the Union Bulldogs. It did at least until the bottom of seventh inning when Southern Arkansas had recorded their first run of the game since Jenna Huey was hit by a pitch for an unearned run sending in Dillon, the very player to start the late-game rally with a solo dinger. The Bulldogs seemed to quiet the Muleriders for a second as they recorded the first out of the half-inning, but Rubio brought the noise back with her first homerun as a 'Rider to advance the score to 4-3 in favor of Union. SAU followed this by loading the bags with Nillen stepping up to plate with one out. The catcher would fly out to right field far enough to bat in King from third to tie the ballgame. Following a Lear walk to load the bases once more, Ariana Rolle came to bat and decided to use the pressure put on the Union pitcher, Baker, to send Brooklyn Reed home on a walk-off single for win number three. 
 
Vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville (Feb 2 | 7:00 PM)
Offensive: Against the Javelinas, Southern Arkansas was held to five hits while committing three errors to assist A&M-Kingsville in claiming the victory. Scoring the Muleriders sole run of the night was King with her first homerun of 2024. Huey, Rubio, Angelo, and Rolle were all responsible for the remainder of the hits.
Defensive: Sydney Ward faced 28 batters in which she allowed just five hits and struck out three Javelinas.
Following the loaded schedule and recent late-game antics against the Union Bulldogs, the Muleriders faced the Javelina of TAMU-Kingsville in a very subtle matchup that stayed close to the very end. Neither squad was able to take an advantage over the other until the fourth inning of play where the Javelinas claimed a 1-0 lead. Southern Arkansas then retaliated with a run of their own off of a King blast for the solo score. With the score staying the same going into the seventh, each group would end their half of the supposed final inning with three runners on base and no score to push the contest into extra innings. In the top of the eight, the Javelinas reclaimed their advantage for the 2-1 lead and would not be met by a Mulerider resurgence in the bottom of the eighth to conclude the ballgame. 

ON DECK
The Muleriders continue the new campaign back in the Natural State for the Alvy Early Memorial Classic in Bentonville, Ark., in which Southern Arkansas is scheduled to face Drury (Feb. 9, 11:00 AM), Wayne State (Feb. 9, 1:30 PM), Washburn (Feb. 10, 11:00 AM), No. 8 UT-Tyler (Feb. 10, 1:30 PM), and Northeastern State (Feb. 11, 11:00 AM). For more information on Mulerider Softball, check out www.MuleriderAthletics.com