Southern Arkansas University has been the Bulldogs' kryptonite in the NCAA II Tournament as of late. The No. 18 Lady Muleriders, in back-to-back seasons, eliminated the University of Minnesota Duluth from the Central Region Tournament doing so this afternoon with a 3-1 win in Edmond, Okla.

Sophomore first baseman Jordyn Thomas gave the eighth-seeded Bulldogs the lead but a pair of home runs by Sarah Pitre and Elisa Favela helped fifth-seeded Southern Arkansas get one step closer to tomorrow's championship round with top-seeded, regional-host University of Central Oklahoma.

UMD ended its season 33-22 after making to its ninth NCAA postseason tournament and third appearance in the last four seasons.

The Bulldogs, who advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals last season after coming up through the loser's bracket, were determined to try and get back to the championship round for the second consecutive year and they put their stamp on the game immediately. Sophomore catcher Jessica Bren opened the ballgame with an infield single and then reached second on a pass ball. Two batters later, Thomas squeezed on in the left center gap for a double to give UMD a 1-0 lead.

The Bulldogs had chances in the second, third and fourth to increase its margin but they stranded seven runners on base including with the bases juiced in the third. UMD left the door open for Southern Arkansas, who launched the third-most homers (79) entering the NCAA II Tournament.

The Lady Muleriders took advantage. They had three hits in the first four innings but their final three hits of the game all went for extra bases. Pitre swung at the first pitch and placed it over the left-field fence for a solo shot to erase the Bulldogs' 1-0 lead. The following inning, Sarah Evans jumped on the first pitch herself and drove a double to left and Elisa Favela lifted her 12th homer a few batters later to give Southern Arkansas its first lead of the game. The Lady Muleriders turned to Brooke Ford-Nelson to start the fifth inning and she stymied the UMD bats the rest of the way. Ford-Nelson retired the side in order in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings for the win.

Of the six Bulldog hits, junior designated player Lexi Janigo collected a pair of base knocks to left field. The 1-4 hitters (Bren, senior outfielder Sammi Sadler, junior shortstop Lauren Oberle and Thomas) each compiled hits.

A pair of Bulldog seniors – Sadler and Kalynn Tilton -- closed out their UMD careers Friday. The duo, this season, became the eighth and ninth Bulldogs to make the national tournament three times and finished up their careers with a 147-75 record.