Goad and Duran homer late to carry SAU to subregional final

SAU Athletics
Darian Harris

MAGNOLIA – The Lady Muleriders used the long ball in their contest against #15 Augustana that allowed SAU to advance to Championship Saturday in the Central Region Tournament after a 4-1 win over the Vikings on Friday afternoon.

TEAM RECORDS 
(No. 8) Southern Arkansas Lady Muleriders (54-9)
(No. 15) Augustana Vikings (42-14)

PITCHING DECISIONS – GAME 1
W – Brooke Ford-Nelson (12-4)
L – Ashley Mickschl (20-7)
S – None

HIGHLIGHTS & HAPPENINGS

• All of the runs from both teams in the contest came via home runs as the Vikings took the first lead in the top of the third inning, 1-0, with a solo homer to left field from the pitcher, Ashley Mickschl.
• SAU was hitless until the fourth inning, and scoreless until the fifth when Brooke Goad went big-fly to deep right-center field and pulled the Lady Muleriders ahead 3-1.
• Brooke Ford-Nelson came on in relief in the circle for Southern Arkansas in the fifth inning and was very efficient as the junior did not allow any hits or any runs through three innings of work.
• Marina Duran hit a solo shot out to straight-away center field in the bottom of the sixth to cushion SAU’s lead out to its eventual, 4-1.

AT THE PLATE

• Goad led the offense for SAU with 3 RBIs on a homerun
• Duran collected the other RBI for SAU on a home run and also had a single
• Faith Otts and Sarah Pitre each collected one hit apiece