MAGNOLIA, Ark. — Action has ensued once more at Dawson Field inside the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex, as Mulerider Softball took on the Harding Lady Bisons with the series doubleheader to kick things off on Thursday night. Southern Arkansas took game one of the series, but was followed up by the Lady Bisons swooping in and claiming game two, forcing the series rubber match tomorrow at 1:00 PM. 

Game One | W, 3-1

A defensive showdown from beginning to end. Emma Duncan got the start and recorded complete game number three, as the senior moved on to 17-2 on the season after allowing just one run, five hits, two walks, and waved four batters. 

Neither group was able to scratch across a run in the outing until the top of the third, as Harding's Zoey Neal homered over the corner of the left field wall to give the Lady Bisons a 1-0 lead. 

Then on, Duncan had shut the group out and Mulerider offense did its job, as AvaMaries Perry recorded the first run batted in of the game for the Blue and Gold with a sacrifice fly to left field to bat in Peyton Raley to tie the ballgame, 1-1. Maddie Leal then came to the plate and singled to left field and batted in Brooklyn Reed to claim the lead. Team 28 added on a run for insurance in the bottom of the fifth, as Raley batted in Leigha Gilbert, whom was pinch running for Regan Dillon and stole second, on a double to third base, 3-1. 

Game Two | L, 5-3

For the most part, game two had the same feel as game one up until the latter innings. Making her 15th start and pitching her sixth complete game of the season, Kassie Rhodes received just her second loss of the season, as the senior allowed seven hits, no earned runs, and struck out two batters. The Muleriders faced error trouble in game two, as well as the Lady Bisons, with Southern Arkansas recording six of the ten errors in the ballgame. 

Unlike the series opener, SAU scored first in the outing. With bases loaded in the bottom of the first, Paris Endris drew a walk and earned the RBI for pushing Leal to home for the 1-0 advantage. 

The group saw a similar outcome in the bottom of the second inning, as the group faced a bases loaded situation, in which the Blue and Gold scored one run with after a Dillon ground out to bat in Perry, 2-0. 

Neither squad managed to plate a run following that, not until the Lady Bisons had begun picking up some momentum in the fifth inning. With two runners in scoring position, Harding recorded a run on a ground out by Bailey Robinson, cutting the deficit in half, now at 2-1. 

After another scoreless inning for the Muleriders, Harding had managed to take the lead and add on some insurance runs in the top frame of the sixth. In the frame, the Lady Bisons reached on base with three throwing errors from third base, while also being able to record three hits in the half inning. These instances resulted in a four-spot top sixth for Harding, putting HU up 5-2. 

Following a scoreless bottom sixth for SAU, the group shutdown the Harding offense in the top of the seventh, prior to an attempt at a rally in the bottom half of the inning. The Muleriders put the pressure on Harding in the frame, as Raley singled to the pitcher with one out, and was followed by a Payton Owens walk. Bases were then loaded after Reed drew a walk, still with one out. Coming up to bat, Alyssa Noriega flew out to center field, which had runners come off their bases, resulting in a chase down out on Owens by the Harding third basemen. 

Up Next:

SAU will take on the Lady Bisons tomorrow early afternoon, as the Muleriders will play in the series rubber match starting at 1:00 PM back at Dawson Field inside the Dr. Margaret Downing Softball Complex.