MANSFIELD, Texas — The 2026 softball season is officially underway, and Head Coach Jason Anderson and his Muleriders have begun the new campaign 2-0, but not without some challenges. Southern Arkansas got its new year started off with a 6-1 win over Metro State-Denver and a thrilling 7-6 victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Over the two games today, the Muleriders saw four members with at least a .500 batting average, in which three recorded averages of .700+. Leading the way with those averages was America Rubio (6-8) and Maddie Leal (3-4) with .750 averages, while Paris Endris (5-7) accounted for an average of .714. While she did not have the highest batting average, Endris recorded some of the most impactful at-bats of the day, as the Bossier City native tallied four runs batted in, a double, and a two-run-go-ahead bomb against Texas A&M-Kingsville. Not having the most at-bats but a high batting average, Leal helped SAU with four drawn walks.
Four pitchers made an appearance for the Blue and Gold, with senior Kassie Rhodes seeing the most action in 6.0 innings pitched against Metro State. Rhodes recorded an earned run average of just 1.17, surrendering six hits and just one run before being relieved with freshman Addie Morris taking the reigns for the final inning of action.
Vs. Metro State-Denver (W, 6-1)
Southern Arkansas began the scoring in its first bout of the new season, as AvaMarie Perry was called out at first but recorded an RBI, batting in Paris Endris for the 1-0 lead in the top of the second.
The Muleriders continued the scoring in the top of the third, as the group tacked on two more with a Kelsie Adams single to shallow left field to score America Rubio with the assistance of a fielding error. SAU then tacked on another run with an Endris single to second to score Adams, 3-0.
The Roadrunners then countered back in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice fly to score a runner from third, following a triple, 3-1.
The Muleriders were not done scoring, as Adams added on another RBI on a sacrifice fly of her own to score Maddie Leal from third in the top of the sixth, 4-1.
Southern Arkansas managed to shut the Roadrunners out fro the remainder of the contest, but not without a pair of insurance runs by Payton Owens, as the senior banged a pitch over the center field wall for a two-run homer, also scoring Endris, 6-1.
Vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville (W, 7-6)
The Blue and Gold scored first once more, as Adams singled to left center and scored Maddie Leal from second base in the bottom of the first inning, 1-0.
Endris added another run off her bat in the bottom of the third, singling to center field and one more scoring Leal, putting the Muleriders up 2-0.
The Javelinas retaliated after going down 2-0, scoring two runs on a home run to tie the matchup at 2-2 in the top of the fourth.
TAMU-Kingsville then began to add on runs in the top of the fifth, as the Javelinas scored on a throwing error, 3-2. In the same inning, the unit added another score to its lead following a ground out to the right side of the infield that helped score another run, 4-2.
Kingsville began stacking onto its lead with a double to right center field, which added on two runs for the Javelinas, and increasing their lead to four runs, up 6-2 .
After multiple innings of the Muleriders searching to find their scoring stride, the group had reacquired its spark with a five-run bottom sixth, starting off with a double to deep right field to score Regan Dillon, 6-3. Up next came another Adams single through the left side of the infield that scored Leal, decreasing the deficit to two at 6-4. Then came Sophia Luetticke, who batted in Rubio for a 6-5 score. Rather than tying the contest, Paris Endris had different plans, as the senior transfer shot the ball over the center field wall, scoring Luetticke and giving the Muleriders the lead at 7-6.
Up Next:
Coming up for the Muleriders, Southern Arkansas will compete in a 2025 NCAA DII Central Regional rematch, as SAU will take on the ninth-ranked Augustana Vikings tomorrow (Jan. 31) at 2:00 PM.
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