Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ADA, Okla. – A nine-run top of the second inning was the offensive catalyst for the No. 4-ranked Southern Arkansas baseball team in their 16-1 win over East Central in the opener of Friday afternoon's doubleheader at Tiger Field. ECU, however, would avoid the doubleheader sweep with a 6-1 win in game two.
 
In that monster inning in the opener, the Muleriders (29-9, 15-8 GAC) would bat around and then some as they sent 15 batters to the plate and collected eight hits en route to scoring their nine runs. Jackson McCurdy and Josh Rodriguez would each record a pair of hits in that inning alone. McCurdy and Rodriguez, along with Justin Buchanan, Tyler Cameron, Carver Rademacher, and William Townsend would notch at least one RBI in the frame.
 
SAU starting pitcher Dylan Lynn would be the ultimate beneficiary of the nine-run second inning as the outstanding run support helped Lynn pick up his seventh win of the season. Even with the huge lead, Lynn was sharp in his start as struck out six while allowing just one earned run on four hits in seven innings of work.
 
The lone run given up by Lynn would come in the bottom of fifth as the Tigers (21-15, 10-10 GAC) chased home a leadoff double on a sacrifice fly. That run made it a 12-1 SAU lead as the Muleriders had added three more runs to their total in the fourth inning. In that inning, Townsend would drive in two on a double down the left field line and Jon Phillips would account for the other run as he singled home a run.
 
In the sixth, the Muleriders would add three more runs as they ran their lead out 14, 15-1. In that inning, Rademacher and Rodriguez would notch RBI singles while Zack Costa picked up a RBI on a sacrifice fly. An inning later, Costa would plate the Muleriders' 16th run of the game as he singled through the left side.
 
In the nightcap, SAU would take an early 1-0 lead as Phillips drove in Trevor Rucker in the top of the first inning. That run would be all that the Muleriders would be able to register against ECU starter Icezack Flemming as he would go on to hold SAU scoreless over the next six innings.
 
The Tigers would knot the game up at one-all in the bottom of the first inning and then took a one-run lead in the third, 2-1. Four runs over the fifith and sixth innings by the Tigers would bring the game to its eventual final of 6-1.
 
The rubber game of the series will be played on Saturday with a first-pitch time of 1 p.m.