CONWAY, Ark. — Mulerider Softball (15-5 | 5-1) took on Lane College (4-8 | 0-3) for a midweek doubleheader in the City of Colleges. Southern Arkansas claimed victory in both games with ease as the group run-ruled the Dragons in games one and two with final scores of 10-0 (5) and 10-1 (5).
With the wind howling in the faces of all, the Blue and Gold used it to their advantage as the unit accounted for four home runs on the day, all coming off the bat of someone different each time. In terms of extra-base hits, the Muleriders knocked ten of those into play, or out of the park, with a triple and five doubles.
Four Muleriders recorded multiple RBIs in the two contests as Savannah Clausen led the pack with five RBI. The Arvada, Colorado descendant also went three-for-four at the plate with a run of her own. All of that was just from game two.
Not only were the bats warming up the chilling wind chill, but the heat coming from the circle could almost be seen as Brinson Rogers and Kassie Rhodes combined for 20 strikeouts. With both pitching complete five inning games, Rogers accounted for her second no-hitter of the season as she was just a walk and a fielding error away from a perfect game. The Statesboro, Georgia native fanned off 12 of 16 batters in the outing. Rhodes, after not having the start she wanted, turned the tables quickly on Lane as she allowed just two hits and one run with eight strikeouts. The junior from Quitman, Arkansas faced just 18 batters in the outing.
Vs. Lane College (W, 10-0)
Southern Arkansas came out firing on all cylinders in the first and second innings of game one as the Muleriders first saw Rogers strikeout the side in a 1-2-3 top of the first. The scoring began with a double by Regan Dillon into right center field which was then followed by a Jocelyn Ulrich single to the shortstop which advanced Dillon to third. With a wild pitch, Dillon would score with Ulrich advancing to second, 1-0. Ulrich would then advance to third on another wild pitch, which was then followed by America Rubio walking and stealing second. Clausen followed this with a sacrifice fly to advance Rubio to third and score Ulrich, 2-0. Kelsie Adams then grounded out, but with the ground ball Rubio would score for the 3-0 lead. Sophia Stoddard then stepped to the plate and singled up the middle, which was followed by a double from the regulator Jenna Huey to score Stoddard before the end of the first inning, 4-0.
Rogers then started off the top of second right where she left off with her fourth strikeout of the contest. After walking the next batter, that batter turned runner would attempt to steal second was but would be hosed by Stoddard to the shortstop Clausen. Rogers would then claim strikeout number five with an 0-2 swinging.
The Muleriders never let off the gas in the bottom of the second as Cassidy Lear singled up the middle to start the half inning. Going back to the top of the lineup, Dillon would reach on a fielder's choice as the Dragons would throw out Lear at second. On a passed ball, Dillon advanced to second base and was then advanced to third on a single from Ulrich, but would also score on a throwing error by the Lane second basemen, 5-0. Not long after did Rubio account for the first bomb of the day with a dinger out of right center field to score Ulrich and her, 7-0. After the second out of the inning, Adams recorded her first home run of her collegiate career for the 8-0 score. Stoddard then singled to center field which propelled the Dragons to exchange pitchers, but right after the exchange just two pitches in Jenna Huey homered to left field to score her and Stoddard for the 10-0 lead and third home run of the half inning.
The Muleriders' defense would clamp down on the Dragons as they only allowed one more runner to make it one base.
Vs. Lane College (W, 10-1)
Game two of the doubleheader started off quite the opposite of game one as Lane got the scoring started, and about as quick as possible as Ja'Kai Ray, the lead-off batter for the Dragons, homered off of the first pitch of the game for the early 1-0 lead. That would be the final run plated for the Dragons in the outing as Kassie Rhodes and allowed just two runners on base after the miscue.
Southern Arkansas was held scoreless, but not hitless, until the bottom of the third as the Muleriders scored two runs in the inning starting off with a single by Dillon followed by a single from Ulrich. Dillon was then thrown out at third on the fielder's choice that had Rubio reach first and advance Ulrich to second. Right after that, Clausen double through the left side to score Rubio and Ulrich for the 2-1 lead.
Team 27 would come back in the bottom of the fourth and rattle off another pair of runs that started with a triple from Jenna Huey, which she then scored on a wild pitch, 3-1. Then walking to first base was Payton Owens, which was followed by a ground out from Lear to advance Owens to second. Then scoring Owens was Dillon as the Bryant, Arkansas junior singled through the left side to place her on second base off of the throw, 4-1.
Then came the bottom of the fifth. To end the game, Southern Arkansas needed five more runs, which would tie their most of the day. That didn't seem so far out of reach as Clausen began the half inning with a shot past the left field wall for the 5-1 score. Adams then doubled to center field and advanced to third after Stoddard reached first on an error. The final pitching change of the day for the Dragons occurred and Stoddard then stole second which was followed shortly after with a walk to Huey. Owens was then walked which made the score 6-1 and kept the bases loaded. Lear then reached on a fielder's choice which resulted in Stoddard being thrown out at home. With the bases still juiced, Dillon forced a third walk in the inning and scored Huey, 7-1. Then reaching on a throwing error was Ulrich which scored Owens for the 8-1 score. After Rubio lined out to third base, Clausen sealed the deal with a single down the left field line to score Lear and Dillon for the walk-off base hit and a 10-1 final.
Next Up
Southern Arkansas hits the road for Great American Conference play as the unit will face Ouachita Baptist for this weekend's series in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
