DURANT, Okla. – The Muleriders needed just one win out of their final weekend series of the regular season to gain a first round bye in next week's league tournament and did just that as they claimed victory over the Savage Storm in game one by a final score of 4-2. Southern Arkansas dropped their second game against Southeastern Oklahoma State and now seek a rubber match victory for the series win. 

With the win and loss, the Muleriders are now 21-11 in the Great American Conference and require a win tomorrow if they still hope to be placed as the third seed of the league tournament next week. The other factor for SAU to gain the three-seed depends on if the Harding Bisons (21-9) were to be swept by Southern Nazarene with that series starting tomorrow in Searcy, Arkansas.

Game One

SAU W, 4-2

Sydney Ward started the series opener as the senior finished with her 12 complete game of the year and stayed in the circle for all seven innings. Of the 30 batters the Paris, Arkansas native faced, she struck out four batters while her stat sheet also includes seven hits, two runs (earned), and four walks.

Southern Arkansas granted themselves the victory due to an early insurgence of dingers from the Mulerider lineup that included bombs by Haley Nillen, Bella Angelo, and Regan Dillon. Nillen and Angelo started the explosive beginning as the two both recorded their home runs in the second inning for the early 2-0 lead to start. The sophomore Dillon posted her dinger in the following inning to push the Mulerider lead back to two runs (3-1) as the Savage Storm accounted for a bomb of their own in the home half of the second inning.

Following the early fireworks, both offenses settled down as each scored just one more run for the remainder of the contest. Kamryn Moctezuma took advantage of Morgan McAlexander and Ariana Rolle being on base as the senior nailed a single up the middle that scored McAlexander from second due to the distance of the hit.

With the game one triumph, Southern Arkansas has secured a first-round bye in the upcoming Great American Conference Tournament in Bentonville, Arkansas next week. The Muleriders can be seeded as high as three depending on how Harding's series with Southern Nazarene shakes out.  

Game Two

SEOSU W, 3-7

Brinson Rogers started the following contest, but her number seemed to be had by the Savage Storm as the junior surrendered a pair of home runs for three runs each that put the Muleriders in a large hole early. After Rogers' second home run, McAlexander entered the circle for the remainder of the outing starting in the middle of home half of the fourth inning. 

The Muleriders bats were cold the first four innings until Dillon woke them up for her second dinger of the day and the third three-run home run of the contest. The sophomore's bomb came too late for Southern Arkansas to create the comeback. 

On Deck

Southern Arkansas now looks toward the rubber match tomorrow for a chance to cap off their regular season on the right note with a GAC series victory.