JOPLIN, Mo. — The Central Regional 1 Tournament has come to a close, as well as Mulerider Softball's 2026 campaign. Team 28's campaign has been wrapped up following a 6-1 final against the top-seeded team in the Central Region, the Missouri Southern State Lions. To conclude the year, the Blue and Gold finished with a 48-9 record and the unit's second-straight Great American Conference Tournament Championship. The Muleriders made it to their first regional final since the last time the group was in Joplin, Missouri back in 2023.
Central Regional Finals vs. Missouri Southern St. | L, 6-1
Emma Duncan made her fourth-consecutive start, and her 38th of the season. The grad student from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada made her final collegiate appearance after 3.0 innings in the circle, in which there were five hits, two walks, one strikeout, three runs, and one earned run. Duncan was then relieved for Corie Byrd, who pitched an inning, in which there were three hits and two runs, none earned. To close it out for the Muleriders, Kassie Rhodes pitched the final 2.0 innings, in which there were four hits, a walk, and one run, not earned. All three pitchers made their final appearances in the Blue and Gold.
Other Muleriders to make their final showing in the Blue and Gold include Maddie Leal, Sophia Luetticke, America Rubio, Kelsie Adams, Regan Dillon, Paris Endris, Brooklyn Reed, Payton Owens, and Samantha Gonzalez.
Missouri Southern State started off with a quick 1-2-3 top frame of the first, in which Leal and Luetticke flied out, followed by a ground out from Rubio. The Lions then took quick advantage of the defensive stand, as they scratched across their first run in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly to advance a runner into home from third, 1-0.
A similar sequence took place in the second inning, in which the Muleriders put a runner on base with a one-out walk drawn by Reed, but MSSU's Kiki Pickens went on to wave the side to keep SAU scoreless. Missouri Southern went to record another run on a sacrifice fly for the unit to go up two runs, 2-0.
Following another three-up-three-down top frame, the Lions accounted for another inning with a run added, as the group had a runner on second batted in on a double for the 3-0 advantage.
The Blue and Gold looked to bring the game back within reach in the top of the fourth, as SAU had two runners on with two outs, but a ground out back to the pitcher snuffed out the momentum shifter. MSSU followed that up with a two-spot in the bottom of the fourth after two quick outs. Following the second out, the group rallied with a single, error, and another single to load the bases. The unit then singled to bat in two runs for a 5-0 lead.
Again, Southern Arkansas looked to grab back some momentum, as the unit was led off with an Owens' single, as the senior made her to second with a ground out and advanced to third on a passed ball. After a ground out, Leal drew a walk, but the two were stranded with a ground out to second base. For the only time of the game, the Lions were held scoreless in the bottom of the fifth, as Rhodes stranded two base runners.
Team 28 finally pushed across a run in the top of the sixth, as the group began to brew up another sixth inning rally. To begin the frame, Ame Rubio led off with a single and advanced to second on a Dillon single in the infield after some confusion by the Lions' infielders. After Leigha Gilbert came in to pinch run for Dillon at first, SAU batted into a double play to third and first base, but advanced Gilbert to second. In four pitches, Reed drew another walk and moved onto second with an Owens' single that batted in Gilbert for SAU's lone run of the outing, 5-1. AvaMarie Perry did manage to get on base and juice the bases, but after an entire infield shift by MSSU to the left side, Peyton Raley slapped to third for a line out.
Missouri Southern managed to push across one more run in the bottom of the sixth, as the group recorded its third sacrifice fly for a run of the day, which resulted in the final score of 6-1.
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