BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Southern Arkansas became the first school to clinch its second Great American Conference Softball Championship, as the Lady Muleriders defeated Harding, 7-0, on Sunday from the Tiger Athletic Complex. SAU’s designated player, Maddie Dow, hit her second home run of the day, a three-run shot to left center, to provide all of the offense starter Peyton Jenkins needed. In her first start in the circle; she pitched a complete-game shutout.
| GAC Softball Championships - Game 15 |
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| #4 Harding (37-24) |
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0 |
4 |
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| #2 Southern Arkansas (46-9) |
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HOW THEY SCORED:
SAU 1st – Dow homered to left field; Darian Harris & Brooke Goad scored.
SAU 3rd – Dow walked; Liz Hudgins scored.
SAU 3rd – Ashton Atwell singled to right center; Goad scored.
SAU 5th – Atwell doubled to left center; Harris scored
SAU 5th – Atwell scored on a wild pitch.
AT THE PLATE:
HU – Courtney Derrick: 2-for-3
SAU – Dow:1-for-2, 4 RBI; Harris: 2-for-2, 2 R; Atwell: 2-for-3, 1 2B, RBI, R
ON THE MOUND:
W – Peyton Jenkins (2-1): CG, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R/0 ER, 5 K/0 BB
L – Hannah Johnson (21-10); 1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R/3 ER, 1 K/0 BB
NOTABLE:
- SAU becomes the first two-time GAC Tournament Champion in GAC history.
- Dow: three home runs at the GAC Championships – all against Harding.
- Dow: three home runs – rest of the GAC Championship schools hit five.
- SAU: 6-1 vs Harding this season
- SAU - third-straight No. 2 seed to win GAC Softball Championship.
- SAU earns automatic bid to NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament.
- NCAA.com Selection Show airs at 9 a.m. on Monday.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM:
Tournament MVP – Maddie Dow (Southern Arkansas)
Kimmy Beasley (Southern Arkansas)
Tyler Casada (Southern Arkansas)
Darian Harris (Southern Arkansas)
Kimmy Hendricks (Harding)
Alexus Lawellin (Harding)
Hannah Johnson (Harding)
Jalissa Gum (Arkansas Tech)
Kayla Wyatt (Southern Nazarene)
Autumn Suydam (East Central)
Olivia Trapp (Henderson State)
Shayla Wright (Henderson State)
| GAC Softball Championships - Game 14 |
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| # 4 Harding (37-23) |
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8 |
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| #2 Southern Arkansas (45-9) |
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1 |
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11 |
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BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Dow forced the “if necessary game” when she launched a game-ending, two-run shot to right field to give SAU a thrilling 3-2 victory in Sunday’s opening game. Harding’s Kimmy Hendricks gave the Lady Bisons the lead, momentarily, in the seventh inning, with a two-run home run of her own.
HOW THEY SCORED:
SAU 5th – Tyler Casada singled to pitcher; Taylor Guin scored.
HU 7th – Kimmy Hendricks homered to left field; Peyton Mills scored.
HU 7th – Dow homered to right field; Darian Harris scored.
AT THE PLATE:
HU – Alexus Lawellin: 3-for-4; Hendricks: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, R
SAU – Dow: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, R; Harris: 2-for-4, R; Guin: 2-for-4, R; Goad: 2-for-4
ON THE MOUND:
W – Peyton Jenkins (1-1); 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R/2 ER, 1 K/1 BB
L – Hannah Johnson (21-9): CG, 6.0 IP, 11 H, 3 R/3 ER, 2 K/1 BB