BETHANY, Okla. — Team 28 has begun the path to Bentonville, Arkansas for the Great American Conference (GAC) tournament, as the Muleriders traveled to central Oklahoma to begin the unit's three-game series at Southern Nazarene. Southern Arkansas started up league play in a big way, as the Muleriders ended up run-ruling the Crimson Storm in six innings, with a final score of 8-0.
Emma Duncan got the start, the complete game, and the win, as the Canadian recorded another shutout and allowed just four hits in the outing.
Every member of the Blue and Gold's starting lineup recorded a base hit in the affair, as the unit saw a very impressive outing by Sophia Luetticke, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and batted in. Jenny Bouthillier made a large contribution to the scoring efforts with a triple that batted in two runs. In her first start of the season, Peyton Raley also tacked on a triple to score two runs.
Vs. SNU (Game 1 | W, 8-0/6)
Southern Arkansas got off to another hot start, as the Muleriders saw Regan Dillon and Paris Endris get on base with errors from the defense. With two outs for SAU, Luetticke stepped to the plate and batted in Dillon to score and advanced Endris to third with a single to the shortstop, 1-0. Luetticke then stole second and scored along with Endris on a Bouthillier triple to center field for the Muleriders 3-0 lead in the first.
With no scoring coming in the second or third innings by either squad, Southern Arkansas finally broke its silence with a run scored by Payton Owens on a Dillon single in the top of the fourth, 4-0.
After the Mulerider defense shutdown the Crimson Storm's offense again, the group looked to push closer towards a run-rule victory in the fifth, as Maddie Leal began the scoring with a single up the middle. Leal was then thrown out at second on a fielder's choice that had Endris reach first. Endris was then advanced to third on a single down the right field line by Kelsie Adams. Then accounting for her second RBI of the game was Luetticke with a single to center field to score Endris, 5-0. Luetticke then stole another bag before SAU's second out of frame. Up next came Raley's triple to score both runners for a 7-0 lead.
SAU then proceeded into run-rule territory in the top of the sixth, as AvaMarie Perry singled through the right side and had Briana Jones come pinch run for her. After the first out of the half inning, Jones stole second and advanced to third on a single by Leal to the pitcher. An Endris single to left field then pushed Jones across the plate for the Muleriders' 8-0 lead heading to the bottom half of the inning.
Southern Nazarene made an attempt at prolonging the event, with the group drawing a pair of walks, but that would not end up working for the Crimson Storm, as Duncan and the defense closed the door on the unit for the run-rule GAC opening triumph.
Up Next:
The Muleriders and the Crimson Storm go back at it in a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 12:00 PM in Bethany, Oklahoma.
