MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The 11^th-ranked Muleriders are coming off their sixth-straight conference series win, as the Blue and Gold are back home from playing in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where Southern Arkansas went 2-1 against the Henderson State Reddies. Team 28 is saddled in for one of two straight weekends at Dawson Field inside the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex, as the Muleriders will take on the Harding Lady Bisons at home for a Thursday and Friday series heading into Easter weekend.
 
Start Times
Southern Arkansas will start its weekend against Harding with the series doubleheader starting at 5:00 PM on Thursday (Apr. 2), with the series finale set for a 1:00 PM start on Friday (Apr. 3).
 
Broadcast Information
This weekend's contests will be broadcast live on the Southern Arkansas University Hudl Fan Page with Dan Gregory and Ryan Phillips calling all of the action.
 
Series History
SAU vs. HU| Apr. 2-3
51^st Meeting: SAU leads series 36-15
First Meeting: 3/14/2014 – SAU won 4-1 (Magnolia, Ark.)
Last Meeting: 5/8/2025 – SAU won 3-1 (Magnolia, Ark. | Central Regional)
 
 
SAU Notables
>>> The Blue and Gold enter the week tied for second place in the Great American Conference, as the Muleriders sit at 15-3 in league play with Arkansas Tech and Harding. Overall, the unit has the best record of all GAC teams at 32-4. Currently leading the conference is the Oklahoma Baptist Bison with a 16-2 record.
 
>>> Southern Arkansas comes off its most recent GAC series, which took place at Henderson State. The squad went 2-1 in Clark County, with the Muleriders clinching the series with games one and two wins (8-3, 3-1), before falling in the series finale with a final score of 5-3.
 
>>> In the circle, Team 28 leads the Great American Conference in multiple statistics, as the Blue and Gold are first in the league for ERA (2.27 | 22^nd DII), hits allowed per seven innings (5.68 | 13^th DII), shutouts (8 | 15^th DII), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.54 | 18^th DII), and WHIP (0.889 | 8^th DII). The staff is led by Emma Duncan, who has most recently been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's (NFCA) Division II Pitcher of the Year Watchlist. The grad student leads the Great American Conference in complete games (12 | 19^th DII), earned run average (1.74), hits allowed per seven innings (4.13 | 13^th DII), innings pitched (128.2 | 8^th DII), shutouts (6 | 2^nd DII), strikeouts (135 | 6^th DII), strikeouts per seven innings (7.3), and WHIP (0.91 | 13^th DII).
 
>>> At the plate, Southern Arkansas has arguably been the most-effective group in the GAC, with the unit leading the way in the conference for batting average (.359 | 7^th DII), doubles (64 | 16^th DII), doubles per game (1.78 | 25^th DII), hits (357 | 7^th DII), home runs per game (.445 | 7^th DII), on-base percentage (.445 | 7^th DII), RBI per game (6.58 | 11^th DII), runs batted in (237 | 8^th DII), scoring offense (7.14 | 13^th DII), total runs (257 | 7^th DII), sacrifice flies (16 | 14^th DII), triples (9), and triple per game (0.25). Two players who have aided that success this campaign are Maddie Leal and America Rubio, who were named to the NFCA DII Player of the Year Watchlist. Leal currently leads the league batting average (.468 | 26^th DII) and hits (52 | 21^st DII). The Texan is also the Muleriders and the GAC's most-efficient scorers, with Leal having scored 40 runs this season and ranking 18^th in DII. Rubio is recording .429 at the plate, as she also ranks third in the league for home runs (0.32 | 21^st DII), second in runs batted in (41 | 20^th DII), RBI per game (1.32 | 18^th DII), second in total bases (85 | 20^th DII), and second toughest to strikeout (0.019 | 18^th DII).
 
Harding Notables
>>> The Lady Bisons have been on fire as of late, as the unit has won their last 12 games for the second-best winning streak in the GAC. Harding has swept their last four GAC foes, which include Arkansas-Monticello, Southeastern Oklahoma, East Central, and Henderson State. The unit's last loss in conference happened over a month ago in Arkadelphia, with the Lady Bisons being swept at Ouachita Baptist.
 
>>> The Lady Bisons' defense has been solid up to this point, as the group ties with SAU for the most shutouts in the GAC with eight (15^th DII). The group's pitching staff has accounted for a team ERA of 3.18 and ranks fourth in the league. The units' strikeout-to-walk ratio is second in the league, behind SAU, as Harding has accumulated a ratio of 1.99. In terms of innings pitched, HU's leading arm has been Brooklyn Gobble, as the sophomore leads the group with 108.0 innings pitched. The Tryon, Oklahoma local leads the team in complete games with eight, strikeouts with 92, and tied for most shutouts in the league with six. Leading the Lady Bisons in ERA has been Avery Booker, as the sophomore has recorded a 2.26 ERA.
 
>>> At the plate, Harding has recorded the third-highest batting average in the GAC, as the group has accounted for an average of .308. Leading the way for the group in batting average has been Tori Turner, a junior from Valley Center, Kansas. The outfielder leads the unit with her average of .398 and leads the group in categories such as runs scored (26) and hits (41). The group's most efficient batter with runners on base has been Zoey Neal, with the senior leading the team with 27 RBI and five home runs.
 
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