Muleriders win again in DII Classic at Grand Prairie
 
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – The Southern Arkansas baseball team won their second game in the 2017 Air Hogs DII Classic with a 12-6 win over Washburn University.  The Muleriders banged out 12 hits in picking up their second win in as many outings this year.
 
RECORDS
Washburn Ichabods (2-1)
Southern Arkansas Muleriders (2-0)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Muleriders jumped out to an early 3 -0 lead.  After starting pitcher Kenneth Tabor worked a perfect top of the first, the Muleriders responded with 3 runs in the bottom of the first.  Leadoff hitter Blake Hall was hit by a pitch to start the inning.  He scored on a double by Trevor Rucker.  Rucker then scored on a single by Jacob Richardson.  After a stolen base, Richardson scored the third run on a double by Cory Gallegos.
• The Ichabods responded with three runs in the top of the second to tie the game.  With one out, Kasey Clark singled.  Blake Tomasino singled to advance Clark to third and Tomasino advanced to second on the throw to third.  Cole Gardner drove home Clark with an infield out.  Zach Macke then doubled to drive home Tomasino.  Macke scored the third run on a single by Bowe Behymer, leaving the score tied 3 to 3 going to the bottom of the second.
• The Muleriders answered right back in the bottom of the second with two runs of their own to regain the lead at 5 to 3.  With one out, Hall singled and stole second.  With two outs, he scored when Richardson reached on an error.  Richardson then came around to score when Gallegos hit his second double of the game.
• The Ichabods scored another run in the top of the third on a triple by Darian Abram, and a single by Riley Krane.  They had a chance to score another run when Clark drilled a line drive toward the left field wall, directly over the head of SAU left fielder James Trevanion.  However, Trevanion turned and sprinted toward the left field wall and reached over his head and dove to make a spectacular catch to rob Clark of extra bases and thwart the Ichabods rally, leaving the score 5 to 4 in favor of SAU.
• The score remained 5 to 4 in the favor of the Muleriders until the top of the 5th inning.  Washburn scored two runs in the inning to take their first lead of the game at 6 to 5.  Behymer started the rally with a double.  Abram laid down a perfect bunt and Tabor fielded the bunt but over threw the bag at first allowing Behymer to score and Abram to advance to third.  Krane then hit a fly ball to right field to drive in Abram with a sacrifice fly.
• The lead would not last long for the Ichabods.  In the bottom of the 5th, The Muleriders would stage a two-out rally for 3 runs to take the lead for good.  Cortland McPherson and Josey Langston had back to back singles to start the rally.  Michael Page then drew a walk to load the bases.  Hall then came through with the key hit of the game for the Muleriders, a bases clearing triple to give the Muleriders a lead they would never relinquish, 8 to 6.
• The Muleriders would then score single runs in the 6th and 7th inning, and two runs in the 8th to close out the scoring.  In the 6th, Richardson singled, stole second and after advancing to third on a Jackson Murphy single, scored on a ground out by Trevanion.  Langston scored the Muleriders run in the 7th as he was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a Page sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Rucker triple.  The final two runs came in the 8th as David LaFleur and Trevanion scored with McPherson and Langston getting credit for the RBI's. 
• After Tabor worked the first 5 innings, Jon Mahanay worked the next 3 and 1/3 innings allowing no runs and no hits.  He did hit 2 and walk 3, but struck out 2.  Nathan Stubber came in and recorded the final two outs.  Tabor was credited with the win for 5 innings of work, allowing 6 runs, 5 of which were earned.  He allowed 7 hits, walked none, and struck out 2.  Matthew Hicks, the second of 4 Ichabod pitchers took the loss.     

 
UP NEXT
The Muleriders will resume play at the Air Hogs DII Classic on Saturday and will take on Oklahoma Christian University.  First-pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.