Alva Review-Courier -

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – The top-seeded Lady Mulerider softball team opened up play with the No. 8-seed East Central at the GAC Tournament Championships on Wednesday and secured the win over the Lady Tigers in a 9-6 final decision.

TEAM RECORDS

(#7) Southern Arkansas Lady Muleriders (50-7)

East Central Lady Tigers (23-29-1)

PITCHING DECISIONS – GAME 1

W – Victoria Taylor (26-0)

L – Jacey Henry (5-9)

S – Brooke Ford-Nelson

HIGHLIGHTS & HAPPENINGS

SAU put up three runs in the top of the first inning to take an early lead over the Lady Tigers that saw Faith Otts, Marina Duran, and Jill Roye each plate an RBI in that frame.

Rachel Miller led off the third inning with a solo shot out to center field that added another run for the Lady Muleriders and prompted a 4-0 advatage.

Starting pitcher for SAU, Victoria Taylor, held the Lady Tigers scoreless until the fifth inning when East Central would collect three hits and benefit from a pair of errors in the frame to cut its deficit down to just one, 4-3.

The Lady Muleriders did not let that kill their momentum and tacked on five runs in the bottom of the sixth after scattering seven total hits in the frame to cushion their lead, 9-3.

East Central would not go out quietly in the bottom of the seventh as they tallied five hits off of SAU's relief pitcher Ford-Nelson that would result in three runs added to their deficit, but SAU was able to get out of the inning and secure the victory without any further damage at a final decision of 9-6.

AT THE PLATE

Islava and Otts each tallied 2 RBIs a piece and each collected one hit to lead SAU

Miller, Duran, Roye, Godoyo, and Pitre tallied one RBI apiece

Duran, Roye, Miller, and Godoyo all collected a pair of hits each

Miller scored three runs and Duran scored two

UP NEXT

The Lady Muleriders advance to tomorrow in the winner's bracket and will play the winner of the Henderson State and Southern Nazarene match up being played this evening.