BENTONVILLE, Ark. — The Great American Conference Championship Tournament is underway, and leaving their mark on the quarterfinals round were the Muleriders, as Southern Arkansas shutdown the seventh-seeded Henderson State Reddies with an 8-0 run-rule triumph to begin their run in the bracket. Not only was the Blue and Gold offense clicking, but Team 28 was cooking on defense, which was led by the GAC Pitcher of the Year, Emma Duncan. The graduate student went on to spin her second no-hitter of the campaign, which is the 24th in the program's history.
Quarterfinals vs. HSU | W, 8-0 (5 inn.)
In her 19th complete game of the season, Duncan pitched all five innings while allowing just two walks, no runs, and of course no hits. With Emma earning the win, the Canadian claimed her 26th win of the season, now at 26-3.
After shutout innings from both teams in the first and second innings, the Muleriders blew the game wide open in the bottom of the third, as Peyton Raley recorded a one-out single through the right side, and was soon advanced to third after singles by both Maddie Leal and Sophia Luetticke to load the bases. After a second out, Regan Dillon singled to center field to score scratch across the first two runs for SAU, with Raley and Leal reaching the plate, 2-0. Then came Paris Endris, who singled to left field to bat in Luetticke and advance Dillon to second, 3-0. After Briana Jones came in to pinch run for Dillon, Brooklyn Reed made up for hitting into a double play in the bottom of the second with a deep double to left field to push across Jones and Endris to cap off the rally, 5-0.
Both groups went scoreless again in the fourth, but the Muleriders aimed to finish the contest early, as they led off with a walk drawn by America Rubio on a 4-0 count. Kelsie Adams then came in to pinch run for Ame, and was advanced to second on a one-out walk drawn by Endris. To record her second hit of the day, Reed singled to right field and batted in Adams while advancing Endris to second, 6-0. For the second pinch runner of the frame, Leigh Gilbert came in for Endris at second, and it did take long for the speedy freshman to make her way home following a two-out AvaMaries single to centerfield to bat in Gilbert and put Reed at third, 7-0. After Perry stole second, Raley singled to shortstop and beat out the throw to first, which allowed Reed to trot home and seal the outing with a walk-off run-rule in five innings, 8-0.
Up Next:
With the win, and a quarterfinal win by Oklahoma Baptist, there will be a rematch of the final Great American Conference regular season series. The Muleriders and Bison will square off in the semifinal round tomorrow at the Bentonville High School Tiger Athletic Complex for a 2:30 PM first pitch.
