MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas junior pitcher Landon Simpson helped SAU avoid a series sweep to Southwestern Oklahoma as Simpson tossed a seven-inning shutout in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field. Prior to that, SAU dropped the first game of the day by a score of 4-1.
 
The Muleriders (12-7, 4-2 GAC) would give Simpson (3-2) four runs of support in his shutout as SAU grabbed game three of the series by a score of 4-0.
 
The first two of those runs came in the second inning as Carver Rademacher hit a RBI double down the left field line, scoring Korey Keith, who singled through the right side the at-bat prior leading off the inning. On that play, Rademacher would advance to third as the throw came in to the plate trying to cut down Keith. In the next at-bat, Rademacher would score on a sacrifice fly by Chris Quinn. The final two runs came as insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as Trevor Rucker tripled home a pair of runs on a shot to the left-centerfield gap.
 
After getting the extra two runs, Simpson went out in the top of the seventh and made quick work of the Bulldogs (6-10, 4-5 GAC), fanning the final two batters in the frame to bring his final stat line to five hits allowed, no runs, one walk, and six strikeouts in seven innings of work.
 
In the opener of Saturday's twinbill, the Muleriders would get a solid complete-game effort from starter Preston Gray, but a three-run third inning for the Bulldogs put them out in front and helped carry SOWSU to win. Gray's final stat line would read six hits allowed, four runs (two earned), one walk, and eight strikeouts in nine innings. Offensively, SAU scratched across one run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Billy Germaine in the sixth.
 
The Muleriders will now prepare to hit the road next weekend as they make the long trek to Alva, Okla. to take on Northwestern Oklahoma. The three-game series is scheduled to start with a doubleheader on Friday, March 6 starting at 1 p.m.