MAGNOLIA, Ark. — Southern Arkansas and Arkansas Tech ran it back for the series doubleheader at Dawson Field inside the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex as the Muleriders opened up the broom closet to complete the sweep as Team 27 had to mount comebacks in all three contests for the weekend sweeping of the Golden Suns. Southern Arkansas defeated Arkansas Tech in games two and three by finals of 4-3 and 4-2 with a pair of impressive late-game defensive efforts.
Vs. Arkansas Tech (W, 4-3)
Southern Arkansas entered the second game of its three-game league series with Arkansas Tech with confidence defensively after allowing just two runs plated the night before and claiming the win 3-2 in game one. With Corie Byrd getting the start for the Blue and Gold, the junior pitcher was faced with adversity early and often as the Golden scored three runs in the top of the first with a lead-off home run by Sadie Turner for her first home run of the season. With one out (KS), the next three batters would go as follows with a hit by pitch, walk, and then a single through the left side to plate Tech's first run of the inning. After a line out to Cassidy Lear, Lexi Gorniak doubled to left field to score both runners in scoring position and advance the first base runner to third and herself to second. Coach Jason Anderson then made the change in the circle for Jaycie Hall to relieve Byrd 2/3 of the way through the first inning and would then end the half inning on a pop out to Lear with a score of 3-0.
SAU quickly responded in the bottom half of the opening inning with a two-run spot as America Rubio capitalized on a Regan Dillon walk and a Jocelyn Ulrich single to left field with a double to left center field to plate the two runs, 3-2. Tech's starting pitcher Brad Basler would then walk Savannah Clausen which would then be followed by Kelsie Adams reaching first on a error by third base to load the bases. Sophia Stoddard then reach first on a fielder choice that saw Rubio get thrown out at home and this would happen again to Jenna Huey and Clausen before the Muleriders would strand three with a strikeout from Basler.
From then on, the worse trouble that Hall would see would be one runner on base as the senior from Paris, Texas allowed just two hits and one walk with two strikeouts in her 6.1 innings pitched.
As Hall was shutting down the Golden Sun bats, the Mulerider bats caught just enough heat to claim the lead in the bottom of the third with a single to the shortstop by Stoddard. The graduate student would then be thrown at second on a fielder choice that had Huey reach first base. After a ground out off the bat of Payton Owens, Huey would advance to second and then home on a Lear single up the middle to tie the ballgame 3-3. Dillon then stepped to the plate and handed Arkansas Tech her fifth double of the season to score Lear and gain the first and last season for the Blue and Gold in the contest.
Players of the Game:
Jaycie Hall: Shut out ATU for 6.1 IP, allowed just two hits and one walk
America Rubio: 1-for-3 batting, two RBI, one double, one walk, five put outs, and one SC Top 10 diving grab
Regan Dillon: 2-for-3 batting, one run, one RBI, one double, one walk, and three put outs
Jocelyn Ulrich: 2-for-4 batting, one run, and one double
Vs. Arkansas Tech (W, 4-2)
Three innings of stranded base runners and impressive defensive play by both groups is what started this game off as both Arkansas Tech and the Muleriders pitched their aces with Alexis Findley and Brinson Rogers having themselves another pitchers dual.
Fortunately for Southern Arkansas, Rogers would win that pitching dual as the senior recorded 145 pitches in 7.0 innings (seventh complete game) and fanned 12 batters while also walking eight and surrendering three hits and two runs.
The first runs plated in the contest once again came from the Arkansas Tech bats as the group put the pressure on the Muleriders' lineup and arm in the circle in the top of the fourth with a pair of runs on a bases loaded single to left field to score one and then a walk to score the second. Rogers would limit the damage and strand the bases loaded to keep the score at 2-0.
As has been the tale for the entire series, the Golden Suns gained momentum early and believed they had a grip on the advantage until the Blue and Gold's bats got hot in the bottom of the fourth as Southern Arkansas accounted for four runs on five hits and left just one runner on base. The first hit for SAU was a Stoddard single to left field, then a Huey double to left center advancing Stoddard to third. Owens then singled down the left field line to score both Huey and Stoddard, 2-2. Lear followed Owen's double with one of her own to place both runners in scoring position. Now with two outs, Ulrich singled to right field and scored Lear and Owens for the 4-2 lead.
While Arkansas Tech threatened the Muleriders' lead in the top of the sixth and seventh, Rogers got out of both with a strikeout and a ground out to cap of the victory and the sweep for the Muleriders.
Players of the Game:
Brinson Rogers: 12 Ks, just three hits, and no runs allowed after the first inning
Sophia Stoddard: 3-for-3 batting, one run
Jocelyn Ulrich: 2-for-4 batting, two RBI
Payton Owens: 1-for-3 batting, two RBI
Next Up:
Team 27 will be back in action before the upcoming GAC weekend series at Ouachita Baptist (Mar. 7-8) as the Muleriders are set to face Lane College on Wednesday, March 5, for a doubleheader starting at 2:00 PM at the City of Colleges Park in Conway, Arkansas.
