Alva Review-Courier -

Magnolia, Ark. – The SAU Softball team suffered its first GAC series sweep in exactly two years at the hands of Arkansas Tech as the Muleriders held leads in both games but ultimately came up short as their lead over the Golden Suns in the GAC standings has essentially vanquished.

The Muleriders took the lead in game on an Elisa Favela solo home run, her eighth of the season.

Tech tied the game back up in the second inning with an RBI double, before Christina Hill hit her first sacrifice fly of the season to score Savanah Martinez to give the hosts the lead.

The Golden Suns put two more runs on the board in both the fourth and fifth innings to make it 5-2 before Laina Suesue pulled back a run with an RBI single to make it 5-3. For the series, the catcher went 8-13 at the plate, bumping up her batting average to .368 on the season.

Sydney Wader only lasted 3.1 innings in this one, allowing six hits and three runs while only recording a single strikeout. Elisa Favela relieved her for the final 3.2 innings, allowing three hits and two runs, walking three and striking out seven.

The Muleriders took the lead in the first inning in game two, with Favela grounding out to second to score Suesue. The Golden Suns responded with a run in the second and two runs in the third to take a 4-1 lead.

Faith Otts led off the fourth inning with her 13th home run, a laser over the left field wall. Otts' next at-bat in the next inning was an RBI double that scored Suesue and made it 4-3. Chelsea Fagan singled up the middle to score Martinez and tie the game.

The Golden Suns took the lead the next inning, before Suesue singled in Miller to tie the score heading into the final frame.

The Golden Suns took the lead in the final inning, with a runner on second advancing to third on a ground ball to the left side. Following a throw to get the batter out, a throw from first baseman Fagan went wide at third, allowing the final run to push across.

Victoria Taylor got the start in game two, only lasting 2.2 innings, allowing five hits and four runs while walking three before Brooke Ford-Nelson relieved her. The senior right-hander threw the final 4.1 innings, allowing three hits and two runs (both unearned) as she is handed her second loss of the season.

The Muleriders suffer a sweep in a conference series for the first time since April 15, 2017 when Harding swept them. They are 37-10 on the season and 28-7 in conference play and are back in action on Thursday in Arkadelphia as they take on Ouachita in a four-game conference series.