Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – After a heart-breaking 9-8 loss in 11 innings in the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader, the No. 17 Southern Arkansas Muleriders rebounded in the nightcap as they won the series finale by a score of 6-1.
 
The win in the nightcap gives the Muleriders (16-8, 10-2 GAC) their fourth consecutive series win.
 
In the first game of the day, the Reddies (13-7, 8-4 GAC) got off to an early 1-0 lead as Zac Zdanowicz came around to score on a RBI single by Carlos Rodriguez in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the frame, however, the Muleriders would knot the game at one-all as they got back-to-back two-out doubles from David Harris and Jackson McCurdy.
 
The Muleriders would then score at least one run in each of the next four innings as they took a 6-1 lead heading into the top of the seventh inning. That five-run Mulerider lead would be erased in that inning, however, as the Reddies rallied to score five runs on five hits to tie the game.
 
With the game now tied at six-all, the Muleriders would jump back ahead in the game in their half of the seventh inning as Tyler Cameron drove in Ryan Dardenne on a double to left field.
 
Now back on top, the ball was handed over to closer Justin Thomas to start the eighth inning as he was going to try and get the final six outs of the game for the Muleriders. Thomas would retire the side in order in the eighth inning, but after the Muleriders were held scoreless in the bottom of the eighth, Thomas got into a major jam in the ninth inning.
 
In that inning, the first three batters all reached base safely to load the bases with no outs. A double-play was then induced by Thomas, but it would allow the tying run to score in the process. A double down the right field line by Michael Schell chased home another run and the Reddies carried an 8-7 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning.
 
McCurdy led off the bottom the ninth inning with a walk and he was then moved over to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Dardenne. After a strikeout of Cameron, the Muleriders were down to their final out. Facing a 1-2 count, Brady Capshaw sent the game into extras as he placed a single into centerfield to score McCurdy.
 
Thomas returned to the mound for the Muleriders in the 10th inning and the southpaw was sharp as he pitched a perfect frame. In the bottom of the inning, the Muleriders put together a prime scoring opportunity as they had the bases loaded with one out after they got a single for Jason Dahl, a double from Chris Quinn and an intentional walk to David Harris. The intentional walk to Harris was a strategic move as it allowed for a double play at any base. On the first pitch after the intentional pass, the strategic move paid off as McCurdy hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
 
Feeding off the momentum of tight-roping out of the 10th inning, the Reddies scratched across the eventual game-winning run in the top of the 11th inning as Rodriguez drove in Zdanowicz, who doubled to lead off the inning.
 
Despite the heart-breaking loss in extra innings, the Muleriders did not show many signs of letting it negatively affect the nightcap as they took the early lead by scoring three runs in the second inning off of Henderson State starter Dustin Hudson.
 
The Reddies would get a run back in the top of the fourth inning as Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch, but that would be the lone run the Reddies would score, however, as starter Philip Menou went into shutdown mode over the last three innings. Menou was in such as zone that the right-hander allowed just two base runners after the fourth inning.
 
Menou would also be given more run support in the fifth inning as McCurdy smashed a hanging breaking ball out to left field for a two-run homerun. In the next inning, the Muleriders added another run of insurance as Ryan Bell scored on a passed ball.
 
The Muleriders will remain at home as they are set to play host to Harding University for a three-game series starting on Friday, March 15th at 6:00 p.m.