CLEVELAND, Miss. – Former conference rivals, Southern Arkansas and Delta State, took to the diamond once more on Wednesday night for a non-conference affair and the two perennial baseball powerhouses played to a one-run decision that saw DSU pick up the decisive run in the bottom of the eighth to clip SAU by a score of 5-4.
In the game, SAU was able to jump out to an early 4-0 lead as the Muleriders (14-9) platted four runs on four hits in the top of the second inning. Picking up RBIs in the frame were
Zach Silvers,
Josey Langston and
Trevor Rucker. Silvers' RBI came on a single through the left side, while Langston singled through the right side to score two runs, and Rucker tallied his RBI on a ground out to third.
In the bottom of that inning, the Statesmen (14-9) threatened to score as they loaded the bases with no outs, but SAU starter
Landon Simpson was able to work out of the inning unscathed as he retired the next three batters to escape the inning.
Simpson could not avoid damage in the third, however, as the Statesmen cut SAU's lead in half as consecutive RBI doubles accounted for Delta's two runs in the frame.
Back-to-back singles to lead off the fourth spelled the end of Simpson's outing and eventually led to a single run to make it a one-run game, 4-3.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Statesmen would push across a run to knot the game at four-all.
That score would remain until the bottom of the eighth when the Statesmen immediately applied pressure as they got a leadoff double. Following a strikeout on a bunt attempt, the Statesmen would get runners on first and second as a hit-by-pitch was taken. During the ensuing at-bat, the Statesmen attempted to swipe second and third, but SAU catcher
Justin Buchanan cut down the runner at third base for the second out.
Another hit-by-pitch followed the caught stealing and once again put runners at second and third. This time, the Statesmen would pick up a two-out hit as a single through the left side plated the go-ahead run and put Delta State up 5-4.
In the top of the ninth, the Muleriders would get a one-out walk drawn by Buchanan, who was then pinch-ran for, but a pair of strikeouts ended the mid-week game.
The Muleriders will now turn their attention to the weekend as they will be at home to take on Ouachita in a three-game GAC series beginning on Friday night. First-pitch for the series opener is set for 6 p.m.
