MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Mulerider Softball (23-5 | 13-1) claims its thirteenth-consecutive victory while also claiming its fifth-consecutive sweep after defeating the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers 4-0 in the series finale.
 
Southern Arkansas now boasts a record of 23-5 overall and is 13-1 in the Great American Conference to at least be tied for first depending on how Harding finishes its series at East Central.
 
Offensive power was not today's winner for the Muleriders as just three members of the Blue and Gold accounted for a run plated, but only one SAU batter recorded all four RBIs as America Rubio went 3-for-3 in the contest with four RBIs, a run, and a three-run home run. All of the Muleriders' scoring came from the one, two, and three holes of the batting lineup as Regan Dillon crossed the plate twice and Jocelyn Ulrich made her way home once along with Rubio's one run.
 
Both scoring plays took place in the bottom of the first and second innings as Dillon and Ulrich both made it on base after Dillon walked and Ulrich advanced the Bryant, Arkansas native to second with a single through the right side. Rubio then stepped to the plate to single to left-center field and advanced on a fielding error which also scored Dillon, 1-0.
 
After two outs to start the bottom of the second, Dillon drew her second-straight walk and Ulrich once again singled to advance Dillon to the second. This time at-bat, the El Paso, Texas native left nothing to chance as she crushed the 1-0 pitch over the center-field wall for the 4-0 lead.
 
From then on out, the contest became a pitchers' dual and Brinson Rogers won that dual as the senior out of Statesboro, Georgia accounted for a single-game high this season of 15 batters fanned in seven innings of play. Rogers allowed just three hits, three walks, one hit by pitch, and 15 Ks on the day. For the weekend, the senior accounted for all three wins of the series with no runs allowed and 29 strikeouts. For the entire week, Rogers claimed victory in all five outings and recorded 41 strikeouts after pitching for 24.0 innings. She is also responsible for three complete games in which she accounted for a shutout in all three.
 
Next Up:
The Muleriders head back on the road to the Sooner State as the unit travels to Weatherford, Oklahoma for the weekend Great American Conference series with the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs. SAU's next action at home will be in two weeks as the squad hosts the Henderson State Reddies inside the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex.