ADA, Okla. — Mulerider Softball keeps the victory train chugging as the group went into Tiger Softball Field to play the East Central Tigers and were triumphant in all three contests after sweeping ECU with today's doubleheader and final scores of 10-5 and 6-0. With the wins, Southern Arkansas now advances its DII-leading winning streak to 25 games in a row and are now 35-5 overall with a 25-1 record in the Great American Conference.
The doubleheader saw a bit more offense rather than defense unlike game one of the series which ended in a 4-0 Mulerider victory.
Game One (W, 10-5)
It did not take long for runs to be plated in the first game of the day as with one out Jocelyn Ulrich walked and was followed shortly by an America Rubio single through the left side to advance Ulrich to the second. Next up was Savannah Clausen and the senior delivered perfectly with a three-run bomb over the left field wall for an early 3-0 lead. After the second out of the inning, Sophia Stoddard then singled through the right side and was then followed by a Jenna Huey single and a Payton Owens double to score another run, 4-0. After an early pitching change for the Tigers, Cassidy Lear then singled to right field and scored Huey, 5-0, which was followed by Lear stealing second and Owens scoring on the ensuing throw, 6-0.
The six run top of the first proved to be difference at the end of the outing, but the Tigers never once gave up as they tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth after the Blue and Gold had just done so in the top of the inning, 8-2. Following another two-run inning for Muleriders in the sixth, East Central quickly countered in the bottom half of the inning with three runs of their own to cut the lead down to a 10-5 ballgame.
To seal the deal and clinch the series for Southern Arkansas, Brinson Rogers took control of the circle and shutdown the Tigers for the 10-5 final.
Top Players
Savannah Clausen — 3-for-4 batting, 3 RBIs, 2 runs, one three-run home run
Jocelyn Ulrich — 2-for-4 batting, 2 runs, one walk
Brinson Rogers — 1.1 IP, 0 runs allowed, 0 hits allowed, 0 walks allowed, 2 strikeouts
Game Two (W, 6-0)
The following contest, while saw a solid offensive performance by the Muleriders, did not see any scoring in the outing until the fifth inning when Clausen lined out to left field a scored Regan Dillon on a sacrifice fly for the 1-0 lead. Right after that, Kelsie Adams doubled down the left field line to score Ulrich, who reached first on an error by third base, 2-0. Stoddard then doubled and scored Adams for a 3-0 advantage for the final score of the inning.
With two outs in the top of the sixth and Lear on base due to drawing a walk, the senior from Greenbrier, Arkansas then advanced to second base on a passed ball. Ulrich then stepped to the plate and delivered a double to right center field to score Lear, 4-0. After Brooklyn Reed came into pinch run for Ulrich, Rubio doubled to center field and scored Reed, 5-0.
The Tigers threatened the Mulerider lead in the bottom of the sixth as the group juiced the bases with a single, walk, and a hit by pitch. Rogers stranded the runners though after initializing a pop out to Clausen at short stop.
With two outs and Haley Cummings on second after pinch hitting for Huey, Payton Owens added one more insurance run for Southern Arkansas in the top of the seventh after hitting a single to center field to score Cummings for the 6-0 advantage.
Rogers secured the win with a pair of strikeouts and a forced line out to center field to cap off the day for the Muleriders.
Top Players
Brinson Rogers — 7.0 IP, 1 CG, 5 hits allowed, 0 runs allowed, 8 Ks
America Rubio — 2-for-4 batting, 1 RBI
Regan Dillon — 2-for-4 batting, 1 run
Sophia Stoddard — 2-for-4 batting, 1 RBI
Payton Owens — 1-for-3 batting, 1 RBI
Jocelyn Ulrich — 1-for-3 batting, 1 run, 1 RBI
Kelsie Adams — 1-for-3 batting, 1 run, 1 RBI
Savannah Clausen — 1-for-3 batting, 1 RBI
Haley Cummings — 1-for-1 batting, 1 run
Next Up:
The Muleriders are back home this week for their final doubleheader with the Arkansas-Monticello Cotton Blossoms at Dawson Field inside the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex on Tuesday, April 15.
