MAGNOLIA, Ark. – SWOSU Softball battled the No. 8-ranked team in NCAA Division II on Friday, dropping both ends of a doubleheader to Southern Arkansas despite playing tight with the Muleriders for most of the day.
 
The two teams will conclude the four-game Great American Conference series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 am.
 
#8 Southern Arkansas 6, SWOSU 1
Box Score
 
The Lady Muleriders plated five of their six runs in the first two innings, building an early lead that would withstand the Bulldogs despite SWOSU finishing with more hits in the contest. SAU scored with a bases-loaded walk in the first and used two home runs to plate four runs and take a 5-0 lead in the second.
 
SWOSU got on the board in the fifth, with Allyson Gafford leading off the inning with an RBI single. Her pinch runner, Keanni Barron, would come around to score on an RBI groundout from Bella Garcia that made it 5-1. SAU added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth for the final margin of 6-1.
 
Hannah Morris had a three-hit outing for the Dawgs, going 3-for-3 from the plate while Gafford was 2-for-3 and Samantha Householder and Amanda Moreno also recorded base hits. Rileigh Ricken (0-8) tossed a complete game, allowing six runs on just five hits, but she had eight walks while striking out four SAU batters.
 
#8 Southern Arkansas 8, SWOSU 0 (5 inn.)
Box Score
 
SWOSU managed just two hits in the nightcap, but they still trailed just 1-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth inning before Southern Arkansas erupted for seven runs to invoke the run-rule with an 8-0 victory.
 
SAU took the lead with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the third inning, but that was all they could muster against SWOSU starter Sidney Kirk in the first four innings. The Bulldogs had their best scoring opportunity taken away in the fifth inning after Hannah Morris hit a leadoff single to left and appeared to steal second base to move into scoring position with no outs. However, the field umpire ruled that Morris left first base early and instead of sitting on second base, she was ruled out and essentially ended the rally.
 
In the bottom of the inning, back-to-back hit batters and an error loaded the bases for SAU and the Muleriders went on to score seven runs on five hits in addition to the error and ended the game with a walkoff double that scored two runs.
 
Kirk (1-7) was solid for four innings but suffered the loss after allowing eight runs on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts.