Box Score
 
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – James Baune started the game and Justin Thomas closed it out as the No. 14 Southern Arkansas baseball team defeated Ouachita Baptist by a score of 6-3 in the opening game of their three-game conference set on Friday afternoon at Rab Rogers Field.
 
The win for the Muleriders (13-5, 7-0 GAC) avenges a non-conference loss to the Tigers (8-7-1, 4-3 GAC) back on February 13th in Magnolia.
 
In Friday's game, the Muleriders jumped out to an early 2-0 lead through their first three at-bats, but a pair of runs in the Tigers' half of the third inning knotted the game at 2-all.
 
A RBI double off the bat of Chris Quinn in the top of the fourth inning put the Muleriders back up by a run, 3-2, but the Tigers would scratch across a run of their own in the bottom of the frame to deadlock the game at 3-all.
 
After having the lead slip away in consecutive innings, the Muleriders' starting pitcher James Baune went into shutdown mode as he allowed one hit over the next three innings to work himself into the eighth inning.
 
Single runs in the sixth and seventh inning by the Muleriders gave Baune another cushion. After retiring the first batter of the eighth inning, however, Baune would give up consecutive hits, prompting the Muleriders to turn to their bullpen and closer Justin Thomas.
 
Thomas, who entered the game with runners on the corners and one-out, got the double play ball he needed on a 1-2 count as he worked out of the inning and preserved the lead.
 
In the top of the ninth inning catcher Ryan Dardenne singled and then was moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Cameron. After a groundout moved Dardenne to third base, the Mulerider catcher was able to score an insurance run as the ball skipped past the Tigers' catcher.
 
Now staked to a three-run lead, Thomas would return to the mound in the ninth inning. In that frame, Thomas would work into a little bit of a jam as the tying run came to the plate with two outs. Thomas then induced a fielder's choice to end the game and earn his eighth save of the season.
 
The same two teams will play again tomorrow as they will conclude their series with a doubleheader starting at noon.