MAGNOLIA, Ark. – A tremendous starting pitching effort by
Kenneth Tabor and a six-run second inning offensively helped the No. 20-ranked Southern Arkansas baseball team complete a three-game series sweep of visiting Southwestern Oklahoma as the Muleriders won the finale 7-1 on Saturday afternoon at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field.
TEAM RECORDS
Southwestern Oklahoma Bulldogs (9-14, 5-8 GAC)
#20 Southern Arkansas Muleriders (19-5, 14-1 GAC)
PITCHING DECISIONS
W –
Kenneth Tabor (4-1)
L – Gunnar Cook (2-2)
S – NONE
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Muleriders lit up the scoreboard first with a single run in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a RBI double down the right field line off the bat of James Trevanion. An inning later, the Mulerider offense struck for six runs on four hits to give SAU a comfortable 7-0 lead early in the series finale.
- That six-run second inning started with a leadoff walk to Cory Gallegos. Josey Langston then followed with a rocketed single into centerfield. Michael Page moved Gallegos and Langston along on the base paths on a sacrifice bunt.
- Redshirt freshman Blake Hall then drove in both Gallegos and Langston on a RBI single through the right side. Trevor Rucker then walked to put two more runners on in front of three-hole hitter, Mark Fontenot.
- Fontenot then doubled down the right field line, scoring Hall from second and moving Rucker to third. Jacob Richardson then singled on the infield to score Rucker.
- A pitching change ensued after Richardson's at-bat and two batters later, the bases were loaded with two outs. Gallegos then drew a 12-pitch walk to force home Richardson for the Muleriders' sixth run that inning.
- SAU did not score the rest of the way out as the Bulldogs' bullpen kept the Muleriders off balance, but the early 7-0 lead was more than enough as SWOSU only managed a single run in the top of the sixth to bring the game to its eventual final of 7-1.
ON THE MOUND
- Kenneth Tabor got the start for the Muleriders and pitched well en route to his fourth win of the season. In seven complete innings of work, Tabor scattered three hits, allowed one earned run and struck out five. The first hit off of Tabor did not come until the sixth inning when Danny-David Linahan singled to right field to lead off the inning.
- Pitching in relief of Tabor were George Eubanks and Pake Montgomery. Eubanks handled the eighth and Montgomery the ninth. Neither reliever allowed a run and the Bulldogs managed just one hit.
AT THE PLATE
ON DECK
The Muleriders will now enter in the week of spring break with their sights set on the road as they will make a mid-week trip to former conference foe, Christian Brothers on Tuesday and then prepare for a weekend series away from home at Northwestern Oklahoma. The mid-week at Christian Brothers is scheduled for a 2 p.m. first-pitch.
