[April 15, 2008]

By: Houston Taylor

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Second-ranked Southern Arkansas’ bats were quieted Tuesday as a non-conference doubleheader with Henderson State turned into a pitcher’s affair with the Muleriders getting an opening game 4-2 win and the Reddies slipping by with a 2-1 decision in the nightcap at Clyde Berry Field.

Ranked first in the nation in both hitting (.376) and runs scored per game (12.0), SAU’s powerful offense was silenced as they could only muster six combined hits in the twin-bill.

Southern Arkansas got four of those hits in the opening game victory, with the first not coming until the fifth inning when they scored their four runs, all unearned. A two-out infield error kept that inning alive and the Muleriders capitalized on it. Designated hitter Nick Smith reached on the bumble at second base which moved centerfielder Tyler Maag around to third who then scored from there on another error as the throw from second was wild. Second baseman Cannon Lester then singled to plate Smith, and first baseman Tim Dellwo delivered the final blow with a two-run shot over the fence.

SAU added a hit in each of the next two innings, but couldn’t get anything going.

HSU made a strong bid in the final seventh frame as Jeremy Sauceda answered with a two-run homerun of his own. But after a single and walk, Southern Arkansas’ Jeremy Jenkins induced a groundout to third to end the game.

Jenkins (7-2) went the distance in picking up the win for the Muleriders, allowing seven hits over his seven innings. Both Henderson State runs were earned, he walked two, and struck out five.

Richard Weatherford (1-3) was credited with six innings in being tagged with the loss. He surrendered three of the hits, the four unearned runs, walked five, and fanned five.

Other than Dellwo’s homer, Lester added a double to his single, and Maag had the only other SAU hit.

Southern Arkansas chalked up one error in the contest and left six on, while the Reddies had the two mistakes in the fifth and stranded 10.

Ryan Wilson and Jonathan Dooley combined to limit the Muleriders to just two hits in HSU’s 2-1 win. It was SAU’s lowest offensive output at the plate this season and the one run matched a season-low in a 6-1 loss to West Alabama February 17.

Henderson State plated solo runs in the third and sixth, both coming behind errors. The eventual winning run in the sixth came with two outs and was off an RBI single from Mike Devito who drove in Grant Dennis from third. Dennis had drawn a walk and then moved to second and third on the same play, when after a wild pitch, the throw down was off the mark.

The run in the third also occurred with two away, and was unearned. After the first two Reddie hitters had been retired, a dropped fly ball in the outfield allowed Dennis to reach second. Sauceda then singled him home.

Graves was all of Southern Arkansas’ firepower in the game, getting both hits and driving in the lone run. His double in the fifth provided that as John Long scored from first after having drawn a walk.

The Muleriders only other real threat was in the third when Graves led off with a single, but was forced at second on right fielder David Aubrey’s grounder. Aubrey was then picked off at first, and Maag grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.

Wilson went five innings, retiring the first six SAU players he faced before Graves’ single in the third. After picking off Aubrey, he set down six more before walking Long. Wilson was responsible for both hits, and the one earned run and walk, while fanning two in his no-decision.

Dooley (1-2) picked up the win in tossing the final two innings, sitting down all six batters he faced, including two by strikeout.

Adam Anderson (3-1) went the entire route for Southern Arkansas and certainly pitched well enough to win. He scattered three hits over his six innings, only one run was earned, he walked two, and struck out six.

The loss snapped an eight-game winning streak of the Muleriders.

SAU jumps back into Gulf South Conference action this weekend, traveling to face 24th-ranked Ouachita Baptist in a West Division showdown. Saturday’s doubleheader (9/7) begins at noon, and Sunday’s solo is set for 1 p.m.