ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Mulerider Softball concluded action in Clark County for the weekend, as Team 28 finished their Saturday doubleheader with the Reddies by splitting the day and clinching the series against Henderson State, now the Blue and Gold's sixth Great American Conference series win. Southern Arkansas' split agains the Reddies came by way of a 3-1 final in game two of the series, followed by a 5-3 loss to HSU in the series finale. With the win and loss, the Muleriders now sit in second-place in the GAC, just one game behind (16-3) the 17th-ranked Oklahoma Baptist Bison (17-2).
SAU vs. HSU | Game Two | W, 3-1
Starting game two of the series for SAU was senior Kassie Rhodes, as the Quitman, Arkansas local pitched 5.0 innings whilst allowing just one earned run and walk. To close the the bout, Emma Duncan entered the ballgame and surrendered just one hit while waving three batters in her 2.0 innings of work.
All runs for the Muleriders in game two of the series came off the bat of America Rubio, as the senior accounted for a pair of dingers to score all three of the Blue and Gold's runs in the bout.
Rubio's first bomb of the contest appeared in the top of the third, as the El Paso, Texas native batted in two runs, herself and Maddie Leal, for a 2-0 lead.
The Reddies countered the Muleriders top third scores with a run batted in off a double from Josie Copeland, which batted in Tatum Bittick to cut the lead to one run.
Rubio came back with the long ball in the top of the sixth, as Ame batted herself in with a homer over the left field wall for an insurance run to go up 3-1, resulting in final score.
SAU vs. HSU | Game Three | L, 5-3
Earning her 12th complete game of the season was Duncan, as she started 21st game of the campaign. Duncan recorded just her second loss of the season, now at 16-2. The Canadian surrendered all five of her earned runs allowed in the bottom of the first inning, and since then allowed just two hits.
Southern Arkansas struck early in the series finale, as the Muleriders had loaded the bases following a Rubio fielder's choice. To scratch across the first run for SAU in the bout, Paris Endris accounted for a sacrifice fly to right field, which scored Leal coming in from third base.
Henderson State retaliated in a major way in the bottom half of the inning, as the first three batters all singled to load the bases, with the first out of the frame coming on a Duncan strike out. Right after, the first run for the Reddies was scored following a hit by pitch from Duncan, tying the game at 1-1 with the bases still loaded. HSU took advantage of the bases being loaded, with Jay Albiter homering over the left field wall for a grand slam to hand the Blue and Gold a deficit of four runs, down 5-1. Duncan proceeded to strikeout the next two batters.
The Muleriders constantly attempted comeback opportunity after comeback opportunity, but was unable to get back out in front with the unit leaving 12 runners on base in the contest and scoring just two more runs off a Kelsie Adams solo home run and an Ame Rubio single to bat in Sophia Luetticke, resulting in the 5-3 final score.
Up Next:
The Muleriders' next outings will be back at Dawson Field inside the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex, as Team 28 will take on the Harding Lady Bisons for an Easter weekend series with games taking place on April 2-3.
