SAU Sports Information
BENTONVILLE – The Lady Mulerider softball team suffered a 6-5 loss in a close-contest against Missouri Southern on Sunday to conclude the UAM 8-State Classic.
Southern Arkansas (10-2) scored their first three runs on three homeruns within the first three innings of play to jump out to a 3-0 start early on.
The first of these homers came off the bat of Maddie Dow as she smashed a 2-2 count over the centerfield wall to put SAU on the board early in the first, 1-0. Monica Islava followed her up in the bottom of the second with a solo bomb herself to centerfield.
Dow connected with her seventh homerun of the year and her second of the game as she blasted a full count pitch over the centerfield wall in the bottom of the third to cushion SAU's lead 3-0.
Missouri Southern stranded a pair of runners in the top of the fourth inning before Dow plated her third RBI of the game on a single to left field that scored Brooke Goad who reached base on a walk.
The Lions found their way onto the board in the top of the sixth inning with a 3-run homer to left field. That inning started with a pair of singles from Abi Corbett and Erika Lutgen that put two on base for Angel Badalamenti, who later hit a homerun to cut into SAU's lead, 4-3.
Tyler Casada belted a homerun to left field in the bottom of that inning to increase SAU's lead to 5-3.
The Lions responded in the seventh with a three-run inning on three hits that allowed them to capture the lead with a 6-5 advantage over SAU.
SAU loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh on a hit by pitch to Dow, a walk drawn by Jill Roye, and a single from Marina Duran, but couldn't plate any more runs, consequently suffering the one-run loss.
Dow led the SAU offense with a 3-for-3 day at the plate, including three RBI's and a pair of homeruns.
Casada followed with a 2-for-3 effort at the dish including an RBI on a homerun.
Islava collected an RBI on a homerun.
Badalamenti led the Lion offense with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate while collecting five RBI's and a pair of runs scored.
Lutgen came in second with an RBI on a pair of hits and one run scored.
Corbett and Caldarella each registered a pair of hits.
Morrison and Gutzmen collected a hit a piece.
Starting pitcher, Mikaela Cox picked up the win in the circle for the Lions giving up five runs on seven hits in six innings pitched, while Guzman earned the save giving up one hit.
The Lady Muleriders return to action this weekend as they travel to Ada, Okla., to open GAC play for a pair of double-headers against East Central University. First pitch is scheduled for 2 pm on Friday.