SOUTHERN ARKANSAS MULERIDERS 8-5, 0-0 GAC	SOUTHERN NAZARENE CRIMSON STORM 3-4, 2-1 GAC
Friday, February 20 | DH | Noon - Saturday, February 21 | Noon Cypert Athletic Complex  LIVE STATS | LIVE AUDIO (SAU Feed)

 

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SERIES NOTES | SAU

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Leading Off
The Southern Arkansas baseball team enters play this weekend with an 8-5 overall record and will be playing their first games in the GAC this season. In their most recent
weekend action, the Muleriders played two games against #22 Central Missouri and Lincoln University. SAU would knock off UCM 7-1 in game one, but fell in the nightcap 1-0. Against Lincoln, SAU's offense exploded for a season-high 15 runs en route to a 15-1 win. In the final game against Lincoln, SAU won 8-4 to end the weekend 3-1.

The Southern Nazarene baseball team enters play this weekend with a 3-4 overall record and a 2-1 mark in the GAC. This past weekend, the Crimson Storm took two of three on the road from Arkansas-Monticello in their opening GAC series.

Statistically, the Muleriders are hitting .248 as a team and have one starter hitting .300 or better. Chase Harvey currently leads the team in average at .362 (17-for-47). Billy Germaine leads the team in RBIs with 12. Freshman Mason Mallard has the most homeruns with three and Jon Phillips leads in doubles with six.

In terms of pitching, SAU has 2.41 team ERA and four of their regular starters have ERAs in under 3.20. Preston Gray leads the staff in wins (2). Hunter Mayo in three appereances (two starts) has the lowest ERA (0.71).

For SNU, they hit .275 as a team and have four players over .300. In pitching, SNU has an 8.07 team ERA. Three pitchers have picked up wins for SNU.
 

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Preseason Favorites
For the fourth-straight year, the Southern Arkansas baseball team has been picked by the head coaches of the Great American Conference to finish the season as the top team in the league. The top-nod comes on the heels of the Muleriders' thrid-consecutive GAC Tournament Championship and also in the return of six All-GAC players from last year's team.

Rucker Wrecking Crew
Last season Trevor Rucker was nearly a one-man wrecking crew as he burst onto the scene for the Muleriders in his GAC Freshman of the Year campaign. In that first year, Rucker would hit .342 (64-for-187) with 15 doubles, two triples, six homeruns, and 37 RBIs. While the numbers were certainly impressive at the conclusion of the year, they are even more stout when you consider the fact Rucker was hitting .261 with four doubles, one triple, one homerun, and 19 RBIs on March 25. But, over the final 26 games of the year, Rucker would hit .414 (41-for-99) with 11 doubles, one triple, five homeruns, and 18 RBIs.

Muleriders Running Wild
With the bats in college baseball being tempered over the past few years, speed on the base paths has been as important as ever before. Along those lines, the Muleriders contiuned to be a team that put pressure on defenses when on base as they swiped 90 bases for the second-straight year and have stolen 90 or more bags in seven of the last eight years. Spearheading the theft last season was Trevor Rucker as he stole 35-of-38 bases. Returning centerfielder William Townsend and now former shortstop Tyler Cameron added 29 combined steals as they each swiped over 10.

Buchanan Battery Mates
Entering into their junior seasons, twin brothers Justin and Timothy Buchanan will likely make one of the more unique Pitcher/Catcher battery combos as Timothy is a left-handed starting pitcher and Justin is a right-handed throwing catcher. Last season, the brothers were starting pitcher and catcher 13 times. In those games Timothy go 7-2 with a 4.29 ERA while Justin would hit .349 (15-for-43). On April 19, the two would share a remarkable moment as Timothy tossed a No-Hitter and it was Justin who caught the final pitch of the No-No as Timothy fanned his 12th batter. This season, the Buchanans have been starting battery mates once. In that game, Timothy would pick up the win after working 8.0 innings, scattering five hits, walking none, and allowing one unearned run while striking out six.

A"Ward" Winning Debut
True freshman Trevor Ward made his collegiate debut for SAU against Lincoln on Feb. 14. In his debut, Ward would get hits in each of his first three at-bats and was inches away from hitting for the cycle as well in his last at-bat after Lincoln's right fielder made a diving catch on a would-be double.