MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Mulerider Softball (8-4 | 0-0) is back home for Team 27's home-opening weekend against the reigning Great American Conference Tournament Champions, the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm. The two are set to face off for a late weekend and early week series as the groups have been pushed back to a Sunday-Monday series with the slate's doubleheader starting at 2:00 PM on Sunday (Feb. 23) and the potential rubber match happening on Monday (Feb. 24) at 1:00 PM.
 
A Glance at the Muleriders
Southern Arkansas' upcoming task comes against the same team they faced in the 2024 GAC Tournament Championship, as the Blue and Gold finished the tournament as runner-ups in the league.
 
The Muleriders come off a long week as the group has not competed since last Friday, February 14, on which SAU split its only day at the Raising Canes GAC/MIAA Tournament after defeating Missouri Southern 1-0 and falling to Fort Hays State 2-6.
 
Leading the group in batting average this season has been Cassidy Lear as the senior is one of two batters on the squad with an above .300 average (.323). Lear has accounted for ten hits (Tied for most on the team), three doubles, and one triple. The unit's leader for dingers is Regan Dillon. The junior has recorded a pair of home runs this spring and is tied for the team lead in RBI with eight.
 
Highlighting the day for the Muleriders was once again Brinson Rogers. The senior pitched her fourth complete game (leads GAC | 17^th DII) of the season, with a no-hitter notched in her belt. Due to her no-hitter showing, the native of Statesboro, Georgia claimed her second-straight GAC Pitcher of the Week and improved her campaign ERA to 1.30, which is the best in the conference out of those that have pitched at least 30 innings thus far (37.2 IP | leads GAC). The senior also leads the league in wins (5 | 8^th DII), strikeouts per seven innings (9.1 | 24^th DII), and total strikeouts (49 | 10^th DII).
 
Vs. Southern Nazarene (7-6 | 0-0)
Throughout the first 13 outings of the campaign, the Crimson Storm have played three ranked squads (#24 Oklahoma Christian, #9 Rogers State, and #25 Central Oklahoma). The group went 0-3 against the groups, but coming off of a 2-1 weekend in Piedmont, Oklahoma. SNU claimed victory against Nebraska-Kearney (12-5/5) and Northeastern State (9-0/5) while also falling to the RiverHawks in game one of two in a doubleheader with NSU.
 
In the all-time series against Southern Nazarene, the Muleriders hold a 24-16 advantage but have fallen the last four times to the group from Bethany, Oklahoma. The last time these two units faced was on May 4, 2024, when Southern Arkansas had paved its path to the GAC Tournament Championship to take on SNU. The Crimson Storm had claimed their fourth win in a row with the victory as well as their first conference title.
 
Where Southern Arkansas has had difficulties this season, Southern Nazarene has excelled as the group is up toward the top of the league in most offensive categories such as slugging percentage (.538 | 1^st GAC | 22^nd DII), triples (8 | 1^st GAC | 7^th DII), triples per game (0.62 | 1^st GAC | 20^th DII), doubles (26 | 1^st GAC | 11^th DII), doubles per game (2.00 | 1^st GAC | 20^th DII), hit by pitch (10 | 1^st GAC | 20^th DII), RBI (83 | 2^nd GAC | 13^th DII), RBI per game (6.38 | 2^nd GAC), hits (113 | 3^rd GAC | 26^th DII), and on-base percentage (.412 | 3^rd GAC).
 
Southern Nazarene is also home to the GAC's leader in home runs as Hailey Evans has accounted for five this season and ranks third in Division II for the stat. The Crimson Storm's lineup holds six batters with a triple thus far and the league leader in triples, as Kenedi Morelock has recorded three this season and ranks fourth nationally. Morelock is also tied for first in DII for being the toughest to strike out as the senior in her 11 appearances has yet to be struck out this season.
 
Olivia Hernandez has pitched in 19.0 innings this season and made five starts with seven appearances. The junior out of Texhoma, Oklahoma is 1-2 on the campaign with a 3.68 ERA and has surrendered 20 hits, four doubles, two home runs, 12 runs (10 ER), eight walks, and has struck out 11 batters. The team lead for ERA has been Jentry Henderson, who has a 1.34 earned run average. Henderson has made six appearances with no start and pitched in 15.2 innings. She has allowed just 12 hits, three doubles, one home run, seven runs (3 ER), and three walks. Henderson has fanned just nine batters this season against 54 at-bats. Leading the staff in strikeouts is Katelyn Woodard with 18 against 53 batters. Woodard has pitched in 15.1 innings and has given up nine hits, two doubles, a triple, two home runs, and six walks.
 
Broadcast Information
Streaming and live stats links for Mulerider Softball's contests with Southern Nazarene can be found at www.MuleriderAthletics.com/coverage.