ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — The eighth-ranked Muleriders have started up conference play again, as the group took their first Natural State road trip to Clark County, where the Blue and Gold faced the Henderson State Reddies for the two squads' Great American Conference series opener. Southern Arkansas went on to handle the Reddies with an 8-3 victory on the road.
SAU vs. HSU | Game One | W, 8-3
Getting the start and pitching six-of-seven innings was Emma Duncan, as the Canadian allowed just four hits with two earned runs while waving six of the 22 batters faced, as the grad student did not walk a single batter. Duncan did not allow her first hit until the bottom of the fourth. Closing out the bout against HSU was Corie Byrd, with the senior Texan pitching the seventh with just one hit and earned run.
Starting the series hitting a 1.000 was Kelsie Adams, as the senior from Van Alstyne, Texas went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI. On the day, Adams accounted for two extra base hits, with a two-run home run and a double.
The two groups had silence the first two innings, up until Jenny Bouthillier broke that silence after banging a hung ball over the right field wall to go up 1-0.
Team 28 kept up the momentum in the bottom of the third, with the unit forcing a three-up-three-out frame, which included Duncan struck out two batters.
Southern Arkansas began its takeover in the top of the fourth, as SAU led the inning off with a Paris Endris singled, which was then followed by Adams' two-run homer to tack on two insurance runs for the 3-0 lead.
After three scoreless frames, SAU scratched across two more runs to go up 5-0, which was started by another Endris single. After having Leigha Gilbert come in to pinch run for Endris, Adams doubled to left field and advanced Gilbert to third to have two runners in scoring position. After a circle visit for the Reddies, Payton Owens recorded a sacrifice fly to bat in Gilbert and give the Muleriders a 4-0 advantage, while also having Adams move up to third. AvaMarie Perry then stepped to the plate and accounted for another sac fly and scored Adams for the 5-0 lead.
The Reddies finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth, as the group scored on a double to left field by Tatum Bittick, whom batted in Hilary Akers, while also advancing to third on a throw. Bittick was then batted in by Josie Copeland grounding out, to bring the game within three at 5-2.
That rally ended up not being enough for HSU, as the Muleriders shutdown the group's hopes in the top of the seventh with a three run frame. Leading off, Madde Leal singled to second base, but then advanced to second and third on two wild pitches. Following that, Sophia Luetticke walked and advanced to second with Regan Dillon reaching first on a fielder's choice, which also batted in Leal for a 6-2 lead. After Peyton Raley came in to pinch run for Dillon, and the first out of the frame, Endris grounded out to advance Raley and Luetticke to second and third. Adams took advantage of the two runners in scoring position, as the senior singled to right center field to bat both in for an 8-2 advantage going to the bottom half of the inning.
Henderson State was able to add one more run to cut their deficit to five runs, but the effort proved irrelevant, as the Muleriders handled their business and won game one of the series with an 8-3 final.
Up Next:
SAU and HSU decide a series winner tomorrow with the squads battling it out in the series doubleheader starting at 12:00 PM.
