MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Northwestern Softball and their recent string of success continued to impress the Great American Conference with a series split on the road against the No. 3 Southern Arkansas Muleriders (27-5, 17-3 GAC). The Rangers used timely hitting and fundamental defense to hand SAU a 2-1 loss in game one, but dropped the finale 3-1 after a pair of Mulerider home runs.

Game 1

A day after shocking the nationally ranked Muleriders in a 2-1 win, Jill Webb's Rangers were out to prove that while their previous match-up may have been an upset, it certainly wasn't a fluke.

Northwestern gave starter Victoria Taylor (13-2) trouble right from the first inning and never backed off. Third baseman Brittany Corrales (2-for-4) got things going with a double to left but Taylor was able to leave two Rangers aboard to avoid an early deficit. A Megan Sanders (2-for-3, RBI) two-bagger in the top of the 2nd scored a leadoff walk, giving Northwestern a 1-0 lead.

Having given up one run or less in four of her last five starts, Madison Garza knew she would need another solid performance to keep the Mulerider hitters at bay. But the 5-foot-4 slinger out of Edna, Texas pitched her way out of back-to-back bases loaded jams in the 1st and 2nd innings. After getting bailed out by a 5-4-3 double play in the 1st, Garza loaded the bases again before striking out two Muleriders to kill any potential rally.

Garza made things easier on herself, sitting SAU down in order in the 3rd and 4th, keeping her team in control of a 1-0 contest until the 7th.

Sanders' second double of the game gave the Rangers a runner in scoring position to lead off the 7th, with junior Katie Bell coming into run for the first baseman. A pitching change by former Ranger head coach Jason Anderson brought in Peyton Jenkins to face Peyton Garrett, who was able to get the sacrifice bunt down, moving Bell over to third with one out. On the next pitch, Amber Mills executed a perfectly placed suicide squeeze, scoring Bell for what proved to be a crucial insurance run.

Kendall Jones came on in the bottom of the 7th and recorded her first collegiate save in the 2-1 win. Jones survived a scare in the final inning when Marina Duran took a 1-1 pitch deep and over the wall in left to cut the deficit to one, followed by another two-out hit and a walk. With runners on first and second with two outs, Jones got Megan Godoyo to line out to end the game.

Game 2

In the series finale, the Ranger pitching was again able to limit their opponent to minimal damage, but a pair of home runs proved to be the difference. Karly Murray would give up a two-run shot to Monica Islava in the top of the 2nd that was ultimately the game winner.

Northwestern manufactured a run in the 4th when Corrales dropped down a bunt for a hit and was driven in by Audrey Estes for her first RBI of the weekend. But runs were hard to come by off SAU starter Kaylee Garner (12-0, 2.19 ERA), who is yet to lose this season.

The Muleriders hot bats struck again in the 5th when Maddie Dow took Murray deep for a solo shot to make it a 3-1 SAU advantage, all but solidifying the Southern Arkansas win. The Rangers weren't able to solve Garner, and eventually dropped game two 3-1.

Up Next

The Rangers will make the trip to Shawnee, Okla. to face Oklahoma Baptist for a four game series next weekend. Friday, March 31 will see the two teams square off in a 4 p.m. doubleheader, followed by a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 1 (yes, seriously). The Bison (10-16, 3-15 GAC) have struggled in conference play this season, but are coming off an impressive Saturday sweep over fourth place Arkansas Tech.