No. 8 SAU takes two on Saturday to sweep series with Ouachita

SAU Sports
Daniel Gallegos, Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications

MAGNOLIA – The Lady Mulerider softball team took a pair of games from Ouachita on Saturday after a 5-4 final score in game one, and a 3-0 finale in game two. Saturday’s sweep over the Lady Tigers allowed SAU to sweep the GAC series.

TEAM RECORDS
Southern Arkansas Lady Muleriders: 31-5, 21-3 GAC
Ouachita Baptist Lady Tigers: 13-23, 7-17 GAC

GAME 1

• Southern Arkansas scratched a run in the bottom of the second inning on a pair of two-out hits. Tyler Casada started the rally with a single to centerfield before advancing to second on a hit-by-pitch to Monica Islava. Rachel Miller followed with an RBI double to right field that plated Casada.
• In fourth inning, SAU tacked on a pair of runs on three hits that extended their lead to 4-0.
• In that frame, three back-to-back singles from Islava, Miller, and Yulissa Hinojosa loaded the bases for Marina Duran as she pushed across a run on a sacrifice fly to right field. With first base vacant, OBU elected to intentionally walk Maddie Dow and pitch to Brooke Goad who plated a run on a fly-out to left center that gave the Lady Muleriders the 4-run advantage.
• SAU’s starting pitcher, Victoria Taylor, kept the Lady Tiger offense off balance for four innings as she struck out six hitters in those innings, maintaining a perfect pitching performance until the fifth when OBU collected their first hit of the game.
• In the top of the sixth, Ouachita put runners on the corners following a pair of errors and an infield single. A fielder’s choice SAC bunt plated OBU’s first run and brought the tying run to the plate. A 3-run homerun to centerfield tied the game at 4-all before SAU’s pitching relief, Peyton Jenkins, came into the game and retired the next three batters.
• In the bottom of that inning, a lead-off single off the bat of Miller put the winning run on first before she was successfully bunted over by Islava. After a wild-pitch advanced Miller to third base, Duran banged an RBI double into the right centerfield gap that put SAU back on top 5-4.
• Ouachita scattered a pair of hits in the top of the seventh but was unable to rally back as SAU picked up the win.

IN THE CIRCLE

• Reliever, Jenkins, earned the win in the circle for SAU after allowing only two hits in two innings pitched.
• Starting pitcher for SAU, Taylor, struck out seven hitters in five innings pitched.

AT THE PLATE

• SAU out-hit their opponent 10-5.
• Duran and Goad each collected a pair of RBI’s and a hit in the game.
• Miller was 3-for-3 at the plate with one RBI and a pair of runs scored.
• Dow, Godoyo, Islava, Casada, and Hinojosa each collected a hit.

GAME 2

• The Lady Mulerider offense struck first in the third inning after back-to-back solo bombs from Dow and Goad gave SAU the 2-0 lead.
• In the fourth inning, Casada led things off with a solo blast to left field that cushioned SAU’s lead to 3-0.
• Ouachita stranded one base runner in the next three innings that resulted in the 3-0 victory for Southern Arkansas.

IN THE CIRCLE

• Starting pitcher, Garner, picked up her 13th win in the circle for SAU as she did not allow any runs or free bases through four innings pitched.
• Roye came in as relief in the fifth inning and registered the save in the circle for SAU as she held Ouachita scoreless through three innings.

AT THE PLATE

• All of SAU’s runs came on solo homeruns from Dow, Goad, and Casada.
• Dow’s blast was her third of the series.
• Goad and Casada’s dingers accounted for their second of the series.
• Duran was 2-for-3 at the plate.

UP NEXT

The Lady Muleriders return to action on Tuesday with GAC rival, Monticello, in a doubleheader at home to continue their 10-game home stand. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Dawson Field inside Mulerider Softball Complex.