MAGNOLIA, Ark. – While it goes down as an away contest, the 17^th-ranked Muleriders (30-5 | 20-1) were electric at home inside the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex against the 10^th-ranked Harding Lady Bisons (33-6 | 17-4) as Team 27 claimed the series lead after a 4-0 win in front of the home crowd.
 
After blanking the Lady Bisons, the Muleriders are just the second team to shut out Harding this season and the first to do so in a Great American Conference series opener.
 
The series opener produced exactly what was predicted with a defensive battle between two of the GAC's premiere pitchers this season with Brinson Rogers and Brooklyn Gobble going at it in game one.
 
While allowing four runs on the board, Gobble did not surrender any earned runs until the top of the seventh as the Blue and Gold's first drawn score came in the top of the second on an unearned run for Sophia Stoddard after Peyton Owens had reached on an errant outfield catching attempt. In the mentioned top of the seventh, the reigning GAC Player of the Week, Regan Dillon, stepped to the plate and with two outs and two on the junior belted the ball dead center over the wall for a three-run bomb to break the game wide open for the Muleriders heading into the bottom of the seventh. Southern Arkansas did not need any insurance runs though as Rogers finished her 16^th complete game this season with her 13^th shutout of the campaign.
 
In her 13^th shutout, Rogers surrendered just three hits, two walks, and fanned nine batters in the series opener. Rogers pitched a no-hitter through 5.1 innings of play before finally allowing a base hit in the bottom of the sixth. That half-inning proved to be the only true scare for the Statesboro, Georgia native as she finished the inning off by stranding two batters on with just two hits given up.
 
Southern Arkansas was once again led at the plate by Regan Dillon as the Bryant, Arkansas native recorded just two at-bats with two walks, one time being struck out, and a three-run homer to completely secure the Muleriders' chance of victory. Also with an impressive outing was Sophia Stoddard as the catcher went 1-for-2 and scored two runs.
 
Next Up:
Southern Arkansas and the Lady Bisons continue their top-25 conference series tomorrow back at the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex for a 1:00 PM start to the series doubleheader.