Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game One Box Score -- Game Two Box Score

FORT WORTH, Texas – Senior relief pitcher Justin Thomas collected a save in each of Southern Arkansas' two games against Cameron University on Sunday afternoon at LaGrave Field in Fort Worth, Texas.
 
The two saves for Thomas not only gave the Muleriders (2-0) a doubleheader sweep to start their season, but the two saves also place Thomas in a tie for the most saves in a career at Southern Arkansas with 13. Last season, the south-paw tied a single-season record for saves when he recorded 11 saves.
 
Thomas got his first save opportunity after he came on in relief of game one starting pitcher James Baune with one out in the sixth inning. Upon entering the game, Thomas inherited a runner in scoring position at second base. During the first batter Thomas faced, he uncorked a wild pitch allowing the runner to advance to third base. Thomas then promptly got out of the inning by striking out the final two batters.
 
Working out of the jam in the sixth inning helped preserve a 2-1 lead that the Muleriders established after a two-run bottom of the fourth inning. Prior to that inning, the Muleriders had been held off the base paths.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, Thomas got a quick groundout, but then issued a walk to put the potential game-tying run on base. Similar to the sixth inning, Thomas found his strikeout pitch as he retired the next two batters on strikes to preserve the 2-1 win.
 
Baune (1-0) earned the win for the Muleriders after working 5.1 innings and only giving up one run on three hits.
 
Game two saw more offense from the Muleriders as they scored four runs on six hits over the first two innings of play to race out to a 4-0 lead. Game two starting pitcher Janson Carr was sharp as he fed off of the early lead. In his five complete innings of work, Carr (1-0) allowed one run on four hits while striking out four.
 
Jon Mark Abbey would come on in relief of Carr as he started the bottom of the sixth inning. Abbey made quick work of the first two batters he faced before Colton Davis, who came on as a pinch-hitter, cut the Muleriders' lead two (4-2) as he hit a solo homerun out to left field. Abbey would get out of the inning as he induced a flyout to left field in the next at-bat.
 
With another save opportunity on the line, Thomas came on in the bottom of the seventh inning to shut the door. Thomas would strikeout the first batter faced in the inning and then gave up a single before recording another strikeout to put the Muleriders to within one out of a doubleheader sweep.
 
Following the second strikeout, Thomas fell into a bit of a jam as a single to left field put the tying run on base. An infield single then followed to load the bases with two outs. Despite the threat, no runs would cross the plate as Thomas got a harmless flyout to centerfield to end the game.
 
The Muleriders will now return home as they prepare to open their season at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field on Tuesday, February 5th. The Muleriders will host Wylie College in a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.