Lady Muleriders advance to Super Regional with win over Mankato

SAU Athletics
Darian Harris

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Lady Muleriders softball team defeated Minnesota State-Mankato, 4-3, on Championship Saturday and advanced to the Super Region Tournament held next weekend.

TEAM RECORDS 
(No. 8) Southern Arkansas Lady Muleriders (55-9)
Minnesota State-Mankato (35-19)

PITCHING DECISIONS – GAME 1
W – Victoria Taylor (30-0)
L – C. Stone (9-4)
S – None

HIGHLIGHTS & HAPPENINGS

• Brooke Goad got SAU on the board first in the top of the first inning as she hammered her 31st home run of the season out to right field and put the Lady Muleriders in the lead, 1-0
• In the bottom of the third inning, Mankato would take the lead, 2-1, on a 2-RBI triple to right field
• Faith Otts would come through in the fifth inning for the Lady Muleriders and put SAU back on top as she laced a double into the right-center field gap that plated a pair of runs, both of which reached base on a walk and a hit by pitch, to make it 3-2
• With the bases loaded, Rachel Miller drew a walk in the sixth inning to cushion SAU’s lead to 4-2, and SAU would need just three more outs to secure the victory in the seventh, but Mankato would scratch a run in that inning to come within one of the Lady Muleriders and SAU ended the threat at a final decision of 4-3
• Victoria Taylor went the distance in the circle for SAU and allowed three runs, none of which were earned, on six hits in the contest.
• Taylor also picked up nine strikeouts in seven innings of work to move to 30-0 on the year from the bump