MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The ninth-ranked Southern Arkansas Muleriders faced their in-state rival Arkansas-Monticello for the two groups' final doubleheader of the season. Mulerider Softball continued their winning ways as the squad won their 26^th and 27^th games in a row while also advancing to 37-5 overall with a 26-1 record in the Great American Conference.
 
In the doubleheader, the first contest went down as a conference game while the following outing went down as just a regional game.
 
Game One (W, 8-0/5)
Southern Arkansas blew this game out of proportion right from the get-go as the Muleriders jumped out to a six-run advantage following a six-hit bottom of the first inning with SAU going through the entirety of the lineup before capping off the first inning. In the half inning, the Blue and Gold got things rolling with Regan Dillon being hit by a pitch. Jocelyn Ulrich then followed with a single up the middle to advance Dillon and was followed by an America Rubio double to score Dillon, 1-0, with Rubio advancing on a wild pitch and Ulrich scoring, 2-0. Savannah Clausen then singled up to left field and scored Rubio before the first out of the inning, 3-0. Clausen then advanced to second on the second wild pitch. Sophia Stoddard singled to third base and scored Clausen, 4-0 before the second out of the inning. Stoddard then advanced to second on the third wild pitch. Payton Owens doubled to center field scoring Stoddard, 5-0. Then Cassidy Lear singled to second base to advance Owens to third. After the Cotton Blossoms made a pitching change, Lear stole second and advanced to third on the fourth wild pitch of the inning while also scoring Owens, 6-0, before ending the first inning.
 
The scoring went silent for two innings before the Muleriders put the run-rule in place in the bottom of the fourth as Dillon led off with a single and then was followed by Ulrich with a triple scoring Dillon, 7-0. Rubio then doubled down the left field line to score Ulrich, 8-0. After the top of fifth inning, the Muleriders claimed the victory for their 26^th-straight victory.
 
Game Two (W, 3-1)
Arkansas-Monticello got the scoring started in the third inning of the following contest as the group saw a double to right field scoring a runner for the team's first and lone score of outing.
 
Southern Arkansas got back into the contest in the bottom of the fourth inning as Kelsie Adams reached first base for the first time of the day after reaching on an error by the catcher which scored Ulrich from second for an unearned run.
 
The two squads stayed deadlocked for the inning and a half until Ulrich once again heated up the Mulerider bats with a single to right field and then was relieved for pinch runner Brooklyn Reed. Rubio then doubled for a ground-rule to advance Reed to third. On another wild pitch, Reed scored and Rubio advanced to third. After the first out of the game, Adams then flied out for a sacrifice fly to score Rubio for the 3-1 lead.
 
Kassie Rhodes closed out the outing by forcing a pair of foul outs and then a line out for Southern Arkansas' 27^th-consecutive win.
 
Next Up:
The Blue and Gold are back in action for this weekend at the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex against the Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm the Mulerider seniors' Senior Weekend.