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Southern Arkansas University Athletics

Official Athletics Site of the Southern Arkansas University Muleriders
BSB 2017 GAC Champions
12
Winner Southern Arkansas SAU 34-10, 26-4 GAC
4
Arkansas Tech ATUBB 29-17, 22-8 GAC
Winner
Southern Arkansas SAU
34-10, 26-4 GAC
12
Final
4
Arkansas Tech ATUBB
29-17, 22-8 GAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Southern Arkansas SAU 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 6 12 9 2
Arkansas Tech ATUBB 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 4 11 0

W: Schildt, Eric (2-2) L: I. Hale (3-5) S: Larsen, Makenzy (7)

Game Recap: Baseball | | By: Daniel Gallegos

No. 2 Muleriders power past Arkansas Tech in series finale, 12-4; secure fourth GAC Regular Season Championship

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas baseball team is back on top of the Great American Conference landscape as the No. 2-ranked Muleriders secured their fourth GAC Regular Season Championship out of the first six years of the league by beating Arkansas Tech, 12-4, in the series finale on Monday afternoon at Tech Field.
 
TEAM RECORDS
#2 Southern Arkansas Muleriders (34-10, 26-4 GAC)
Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (29-17, 22-8 GAC)
 
PITCHING DECISIONS
W – Eric Schildt (2-2)
L – Isaac Hale (3-5)
S – Makenzy Larsen (7)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The Wonder Boys got out to a quick start thanks to a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. In the top of the fourth, SAU knotted the game at one-all as Trevor Rucker hit the first of his two solo home runs in the game.
  • Two batters later, the Muleriders took a two-run lead, 3-1, thanks to a two-run shot off the bat of Jacob Richardson.
  • Just as the Muleriders matched Tech's solo home run in the first, the Wonder Boys matched SAU's two-run homer with one of their own in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score once more, this time at three-all.
  • Neither team scored in the sixth and the Wonder Boys pushed across a single run in the bottom of the seventh to take a 4-3 lead. That lead nearly was more as the Wonder Boys had loaded the bases with no outs prior to that run scoring, but Mulerider reliever Eric Schildt minimized the damage.
  • Two pitches into the top of the eighth, Rucker cranked his second home run of the game to bring the score even once more at four-all. Three batters later, SAU regained the lead as Cortland McPherson went the other way out to left field for a two-run home run. Scoring on the McPherson round-tripper was Mark Fontenot as he walked two at-bats prior.
  • In the top of the ninth, the Muleriders were able to put the game away as they tacked on six insurance runs off of the Wonder Boys to bring the game to its eventual final score of 12-4.
  • In that inning, the first three batters reached as Josey Langston and Michael Page were hit by pitches and Blake Hall reached on a well-placed sacrifice bunt. All of that was in front of Rucker, who doubled home Langston and Page.
  • Following a groundout and an intentional walk to reload the bases, McPherson tripled down the right field line to clear the bases. Jake Tisevich then scored pinch-runner Sam Mrstik on a sacrifice fly out to right field.
 
ON THE MOUND
  • Kenneth Tabor got the start for the Muleriders in the series finale and the junior left-hander pitched 6.0 innings with eight hits and three earned runs allowed. Tabor, who got the no-decision, also struck out six
  • Eric Schildt saw another relief appearance on Monday as he entered the game to begin the seventh. The Wonder Boys loaded the bases with no outs against Schildt, but he limited the damage to just a run, allowing the Mulerider offense to back him afterwards for his second win of the season
  • Makenzy Larsen nailed down the final six outs of the game as he pitched the eighth and ninth innings to preserve win and earn his seventh save of the season.
 
AT THE PLATE
  • After being limited offensively in the doubleheader on Sunday, the Mulerider offense got back on track with a 12-run output on Monday.
  • As a team, the Muleriders totaled nine hits with seven of those going for extra bases. SAU hit a pair of doubles, a triple, and left the yard four times
  • All seven of the extra-base hits for the Muleriders were accounted for by Cortland McPherson, Jacob Richardson, and Trevor Rucker. All three homered in the game with Rucker going deep twice. Rucker also added a double as he drove in four runs
  • Richardson also doubled and drove in two while McPherson had a triple and five RBIs
 
ON DECK
The Muleriders will play their fourth game in three days as they will remain on the road at Henderson State for a non-conference game against the Reddies on Tuesday night. First-pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
 
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