MAGNOLIA, Ark.—Having already taken down the nation's top team Rogers State earlier this season, Southern Nazarene was not afraid to go toe-to-toe with No. 16 Southern Arkansas on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately for the Crimson Storm, they came up just short in a 4-3 loss to open the series.

Southern Nazarene (15-13, 4-7 GAC) allowed just 2 hits in the game as Janie Worthington and Olivia Hernandez pitched phenomenally in the circle, but a Southern Arkansas (21-7, 9-3 GAC) grand slam in the third inning proved to be the difference. The grand slam was SAU's final hit in the game.

After the Muleriders opened up a 4-0 lead with the grand slam, Southern Nazarene responded in the fifth inning by plating three runs to cut the deficit to just one run. Their four hits all came in a row when Liana Heshiki singled to center, Sydney Sundbye double to right field, Natalie Jones smacked a 2 RBI single up the middle, and Emma Swearingen doubled home Jones. Unfortunately for SNU, back-to-back strikeouts left the tying run stranded at second base.

SNU was again able to move the tying run into scoring position in the seventh inning, but another strikeout brought the game to an end. The Crimson Storm left 7 runners on base in the game.

Janie Worthington and Olivia Hernandez each pitched three innings in the game and combined for 8 strikeouts. 

The Storm outhit the Muleriders 8 to 2 in the contest, but Southern Arkansas's grand slam was all the Muleriders needed to scrape out the win.

Sundbye, Jones, and Swearingen each came up big in the middle of the SNU lineup with 2 hits in the game.

SNU has now lost three straight to the Muleriders, but will look to buck that trend tomorrow. The two teams will meet again tomorrow afternoon for a double-header to close the GAC series. First pitch of the double-header is set for 1:00 p.m. in Magnolia.