MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Welcoming fans to the rejuvenated Dawson Field at the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex was the 27^th unit of the Mulerider Softball program (9-4 | 1-0) as the group opened up its gates for the campaign's Great American Conference and home opener against the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm (7-7 | 0-1). The bats were lit up for Southern Arkansas on its home opener as the group defeated the reigning GAC Tournament Champions 8-0 in five innings.
 
The shutout marks the sixth shutout triumph this season for SAU and the fifth shutout victory of the season for senior pitcher Brinson Rogers.
 
Six players of the lineup recorded a hit in the outing with America Rubio leading the way with two hits as the redshirt junior started the scoring for Southern Arkansas with a dinger over the left field wall with some assistance from Mother Nature. Rubio would then bat in a run with a single to left field to advance pinch runner Brooklyn Reed home for a 4-0 advantage in the fifth.
 
Vs. Southern Nazarene | Game 1
After Rubio's high-flying home run past left field, Savannah Clausen then stepped to the plate and delivered a line drive home run back over the left field wall and under the championship history signage for the 2-0 lead after one.
 
Both teams kept quiet in the second inning, but in the top of the third, the defending champs began to make some noise as the unit saw two runners make it on base (hit and walk) until the Crimson Storm's momentum would be snubbed with a pop out to Clausen.
 
The Muleriders broke the silence in the third inning after having Cassidy Lear pop out, Regan Dillon double to right field, and Jocelyn Ulrich ground out to advance Dillon to third. With the left fielder on third, Rubio once again steps into the box and pops the ball into shallow right field which is then dropped by the SNU right fielder to have Rubio reach and score Dillon for the 3-0 lead heading into the fourth.
 
The Crimson Storm's final opportunity of the night to stay alive in the bout came in the top of the fourth as the group managed to have two runners reach scoring position thanks to a hit on the opening at-bat and a batter reaching second and advancing the runner to third on an errant catch by Dillon in left field all with no outs. After a brief discussion in the circle, Rogers locked right back in and struck out the next batter with the two that followed lining out and popping out to go into the bottom of the fourth.
 
Southern Arkansas was once again silent in the fourth and held its 3-0 lead after a 1-2-3 inning by Rogers in the top of the fifth.
 
The Muleriders lit up the post-dance fifth with five runs on four hits to walk off the Crimson Storm in game one in run-rule fashion. Those hits and runs started off with a single by the regulator Jenna Huey that had Reed pinch run for her. Reed then advanced to second on a ground out from Lear. Dillon would then step to the plate and draw her 11^th walk of the season placing runners on first and second base. Ulrich followed up Dillon but flied out for the Muleriders' second out of the half inning. For her final at-bat of the night, Rubio single to left field to score Reed and Dillon and she was followed by a Clausen walk to juice the bases with a 4-0 lead. Kelsie Adams then knocked a single into center field and advanced on the throw while batting in two runs for Dillon and Rubio to score, 6-0. In the six-hole, Sophia Stoddard embodied her walk-up song and became everyone's favorite girl with a double to left field to score Clausen and Adams for the walk-off victory on Dawson Field's refreshed turf.
 
Players of the Game
Brinson Rogers: fifth shutout of the season and only two hits allowed
America Rubio: 2-for-3 batting, two runs, two RBI, one home run
Savannah Clausen: 1-for-2 batting, two runs, one RBI, one walk
Kelsie Adams: 1-for-3 batting, one run, two RBI
Sophia Stoddard: 1-for-3 batting, two RBI, one walk-off double
 
Next Up:
Team 27 now looks to clinch the series tomorrow with the series' doubleheader getting started at 11:00 AM against Southern Nazarene.