MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The 22^nd ranked Muleriders are coming off of their first conference series loss after having beaten the Harding Bisons in game one of the series and falling to the team from Searcy in games two and three on Saturday. After the weekend, Southern Arkansas record moves forward at 13-6 as they are now 4-2 in the Great American Conference.
 
The Muleriders are currently leading the conference in hit by pitches (17 | 30^th nationally), home runs (16), home runs per game (0.84), shutouts (6 | 10^th nationally), and sacrifice flies (9 | 16^th nationally). The team is also second in the league for three categories such as fielding percentage (0.975), team strikeouts per seven innings (7.18), and WHIP (1.28).
 
LAST WEEK
Vs. Harding
Sydney Ward, who led the charge for the Muleriders in the circle against Harding, is coming off a weekend in which she competed in two game with one being a complete outing and the other for five innings. The senior surrendered just four hits and one run against the Bisons in game one, but struck out seven of the Bisons 26 batters she faced. The Paris, Arkansas native started the rubber match against Harding, but in her five innings pitching, she allowed nine hits, four total runs, and one earned run against a determined bunch of Bisons.
 
Kamryn Moctezuma tied her teammate Ariana Rolle in batting percentage as the two accounted for a .667 average. Moctezuma's performance against the Bisons highlighted the Muleriders' efforts to defeat the in-state rivals as she recorded six hits on nine at-bats, one run, a pair of doubles, two runners batted in, eight total bases, and a slugging percentage of .889. The senior's efforts were highly noted due to her performance in game one of the previous series in which she went 4-4 at the plate with her couple of RBIs and a double. The Yuma, Arizona native's runs batted in during the contest were crucial for the Muleriders' victory as her first put SAU ahead of the Bisons 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth and the second produced another insurance run for Southern Arkansas to have an advantage of 5-1.
 
Now looking to get back on track, the Muleriders book their trip to Arkadelphia for the upcoming weekend where they are set to matchup with the Reddies from Henderson State for the third conference series of 2024.
 
Both teams are coming off of series losses as Henderson State fell to Arkansas Tech while in Conway, Arkansas after they dropped game one (3-7), won game two (9-5), and lost the rubber match by a final of 2-5.
 
HISTORY
Southern Arkansas vs. Henderson State All-Time Series (SAU leads 60-38)
The Reddies and the Muleriders first matchup took place when Southern Arkansas installed softball as a part of the athletics program back in 1999. SAU claimed the first 21 contests between the in-state foes with HSU earning their first win against the Muleriders in 2004 and sweeping the season series.
 
Since then, these two squads have been nothing but intense rivals as Southern Arkansas has won 39 outings to the Henderson State 35 since the beginning of 2005.
 
SAU has been triumphant in the last four meetings with the Reddies last victory coming in the 2022 series. Southern Arkansas has lost on just three occasions against HSU starting in 2016. The last seven series (excluding postseason) have gone in favor of the Muleriders.
 
HENDERSON STATE (10-10 | 2-4 GAC)
The Reddies come off of their second league series loss as they have been overcome by Northwestern Oklahoma State and Arkansas Tech, both in a rubber match. In between the two conference series matchups, the Reddies took on Christian Brothers in a midweek doubleheader in which they swept the Lady Bucs last Tuesday in Arkadelphia.
 
Henderson State currently leads the Great American Conference in batting average as their percentage sits 32.6%. The group is also the conference leader in on base percentage with 40.6%. The Reddies are second amongst league members in categories such as double plays (7 | 32^nd nationally), fewest hit batters (5), hit by pitch (16), home runs per game (0.60), and slugging percentage (.466).
 
The Reddies offense is led by freshman outfielder Lily Warren as she has started in 18 games with 64 at-bats, 30 hits, 13 runs, seven runs batted in, and 30 total bases. The freshman currently has accounted for a batting average of .469. Of the primary starters for Henderson State, the Reddies have six other batters with at least a .300 batting average.
 
Henderson State has relied on three primary pitchers thus far, but has seen the most action out of Meagan Allen. Allen, who has played in 26.1 innings, has recorded a 4.44 earned run average while having 11 appearances and four starts. The senior has allowed 19 hits, 15 runs, 13 earned runs, and five extra base hits (two 2B, one 3B, two HR). Allen is also responsible for 18 strikeouts, 13 walks, one wild pitch, and one hit batter on 93 at-bats.
 
Leading the team in strikeouts and ERA however has been junior pitcher Brooke Johnson. Johnson has started in five games and has an earned run average of 2.66 along with her 20 strikeouts. She has allowed 19 hits, nine runs, seven earned runs, six extra base hits (four 2B, two 3B), and walked just nine batters. She has seen action in 23.2 innings thus far.
 
Southern Arkansas' bounce back begins Saturday at Dee White Field in Arkadelphia, Arkansas for the series' doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m. The final outing between the Natural State foes has a start time of 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. Live coverage of the events can be found at www.MuleriderAthletics.com/coverage