MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Team 26 is coming off their road trip to Russellville, Arkansas where they were upended in all three contests against the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns. The Muleriders midweek conference doubleheader was postponed to next week and will replace SAU's midweek non-conference doubleheader against No. 12 Mississippi College.
 
*SAU is tied for fourth in the GAC with Southeastern Oklahoma State (21-19 | 13-10 GAC). The Muleriders and Savage Storm sit behind Harding (26-12 | 16-7 GAC), Southern Nazarene (30-12 | 19-5 GAC), and Oklahoma Baptist (29-11 | 21-3 GAC). Team 26 is back home for their final series at the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball this season.
 
*Southern Arkansas looks to get back to business after the down week against the Golden Suns as the Muleriders managed to score just four runs over the weekend while allowing nine to ATU.
 
*Brinson Rogers started games one and three in which the junior surrendered eight hits, five runs (all earned), six walks, two hit batters, and one wild pitch. The Statesboro, Georgia native also struck out 11 batters out of the 41 total she faced in her 8.2 innings pitched.
 
*Sydney Ward came in the fifth inning for Rogers in game one as the senior allowed just two hits, two runs (both earned), no walks, and one wild pitch. The product of Paris, Arkansas accounted for a complete game in game two as she pitched 9.2 innings and conceded just six hits, four walks, one hit batter, and one run (earned). The senior struck out nine of the 39 batters she faced in the outing.
 
*Regan Dillon continues to lead the Muleriders' batting as she is currently averaging a .341 batting average and a .675 slug percentage. Dillon holds second in the league for home runs as she has accounted for 10 dingers thus far with an average 0.26/game. The sophomore is also fifth in the association for runs batted in per game as she averages 0.89 per outing.
 
History, vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State
*The Muleriders and Bulldogs first matched up in 2004 in which Southern Arkansas had won by a final of 4-1. The two programs did not meet after this till the forming of the Great American Conference in the 2012 season. Since then the Muleriders are 35-9 against SWOSU.
*SAU is currently on a 13-game winning streak against the Bulldogs as the last occasion that Southwestern Oklahoma State defeated Southern Arkansas was in 2019 when SWOSU last claimed the series versus the Muleriders.
*Last season, Southern Arkansas swept the Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford by finals of 16-7, 8-6, and 6-0.

Southwestern Oklahoma State
*The Bulldogs enter the weekend series at 13-27 overall with an 8-16 record in the conference. Southwestern Oklahoma State coming off of their final midweek conference doubleheader against Northwestern Oklahoma State in split fashion as the Bulldogs lost game one 4-5 and won game two 7-2.
 
*SWOSU has been dealing in doubles this season as they are second in the league for double plays/double plays per game and doubles/doubles per game. The Bulldogs have accounted for 14 double plays and average 0.35/game. The group has also recorded 58 doubles while averaging 1.45/game. The Bulldogs' pitching staff has been fairly disciplined as they are third in league for fewest hit batters with just 13 this season.
 
*The team in Weatherford has allowed the second-most hits per seven innings in the conference as they are averaging 9.38 hits allowed per seven innings. The team is also fifth in the league for hits from their own batters as they have recorded 288 thus far.
 
*SWOSU's Blaire Gentry is currently second in the GAC for complete games as the junior has completed ten outings this season Gentry has also started in the circle for the Bulldogs in 18 contests which ranks fifth in the league.
 
*The group's top batter has been Jadyn Hook as she is responsible for 49 hits in 2024 to rank second among all GAC competition. The junior is currently averaging a hit on 38.6% of her at-bats as she also has recorded 22 runs, eight extra base hits (one home run), 14 RBIs, 59 total bases, a .471 slugging percentage, and a .436 on-base percentage.
 
Southern Arkansas faces the Bulldogs tomorrow (Friday) for game one of the series starting at 6:00 p.m. due to weather earlier in the week. The series doubleheader will precede on Saturday starting at noon with senior day festivities taking place prior to the competition.