Alva Review-Courier -

Weatherford, Okla. – The SAU Softball team, coming off a day one split against Southwestern Oklahoma State, came out in day two and were outscored 18-6 by the Bulldogs, including being on the receiving end of a run rule.

In game one of the doubleheader, the Bulldogs run-ruled the Muleriders 10-0 as Victoria Taylor gave up seven runs and five hits in three innings of work. Elisa Favela came into the game in relief, and gave up a three-run home run in her one inning of work to allow the score to balloon to 10-0.

The Muleriders only mustered five hits in game one, with Laina Suesue being the only Mulerider to get more than one hit. The bottom third of the lineup, Ryah Kaniho, Christina Hill and Hallie Saintignan, each went 1-2 as the Muleriders only had three separate runners in scoring position in the game.

Game two saw the Muleriders produce more offense, with Saintignan hitting a 2-run double in the second inning that scored Kaniho and Hill to put the Muleriders out in front early.

However, the Bulldogs responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning and pushed across four more runs in the third inning to make it 7-2.

Saintignan drove in her third run of the game on a single that scored Maeson Grace. Savanah Martinez hit a two-run home run the next inning that scored Suesue.

Saintignan drove in her fourth run of the game later in the inning on a sacrifice fly that scored Grace. That run made the score 7-6 in favor of the hosts, but a wild pitch saw the Bulldogs garner an insurance, and ultimately, the decisive run.

The Mulerider defense committed six errors in two games as both teams committed four errors each in game two.

The top of the Mulerider offense, spots one through four in the lineup, went a combined 0-22, only reaching base twice on two hit by pitches.

The Muleriders fall to 18-6 on the season and 9-3 in conference play. They return to action next weekend in Ada as they take on East Central in a four-game conference series.