WEATHERFORD, Okla. – SWOSU Softball defeated the top-ranked team in the country on Friday, handing Southern Arkansas an 8-7 defeat in the opening game of a four-game Great American Conference series.
 
The Muleriders won the second game 6-3 to split the doubleheader and the team's will conclude the series at 11:00 am on Saturday at the SWOSU Athletic Complex.
 
 
Game 1: SWOSU 8, #1 Southern Arkansas 7
Box Score (html)
 
Sidney Kirk hit a three-run home run in the fourth and Kaitlyn Donaldson followed with a two-run shot in the fifth, but SWOSU found themselves tied heading to the bottom of the sixth after SAU plated three runs in the top half of the inning. The Bulldogs made the most of an SAU error as Saige Vandiver scored the go-ahead run while Miranda Grover scored on a sacrifice fly from Bella Garcia to make it 8-6.
 
In the top of the seventh, SAU got a walk and an RBI double to cut the lead to one, but the game-tying run was stranded at second as the Dawgs recorded the final out of the game. Donaldson (3-5) got the win after pitching the final inning and allowing one hit. Kirk, Hannah Morris and Miranda Grover each had two hits apiece for the Bulldogs.
 
Game 2: #1 Southern Arkansas 6, SWOSU 3
Box Score (html)
 
SAU built a 6-0 lead after scoring twice in the top of the fifth inning before SWOSU got their only runs in the bottom of the fifth, with two coming across on a triple by Hannah Morris, who would later score on a wild pitch.
 
Donaldson (3-6) started the second game and lasted 2.1 innings before being replaced by Miranda Grover, who threw the final 4.2 innings.