MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Junior third baseman Jacob Richardson hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10^th inning of game one to give the No. 15-ranked Southern Arkansas baseball team a 13-12 win over Arkansas-Monticello, and then the SAU offensive surge continued into the second game as the Muleriders routed the Boll Weevils, 14-2, to earn the doubleheader sweep on Friday at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field.
 
TEAM RECORDS
Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevils (26-19, 21-11 GAC)
#15 Southern Arkansas Muleriders (36-11, 28-4 GAC)
 
PITCHING DECISIONS – Game 1
W – Makenzy Larsen (4-0)
L – Dawson Moser (3-1)
S – NONE
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – Game 1

• UAM got off to a quick 2-0 start with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, but a hustle triple off the bat of Blake Hall to lead off the bottom of the first inning set up the Muleriders' first run as Hall scored on a wild pitch in the ensuing at-bat. Four batters later, Sam Mrstik tied the game at two-all as he singled up the middle to score Jacob Richardson, who drew a four-pitch walk earlier in the inning.
• The Muleriders then took the lead in the third inning on a two-run homerun to right-centerfield off the bat of Cortland McPherson. An inning later, the Muleriders added two more runs and led 6-2 through four innings.
• In the top of the fifth, however, the Boll Weevils struck for seven runs on six hits and a pair of Mulerider errors as they regained a lead, this time at 9-6.
• That lead did not hold up long, as the Muleriders plated three runs in the bottom of the inning to knot the score at nine-all. In that inning, SAU benefitted from four walks and only had one hit, but it was a big one as Josey Langston singled down the left field line to score two runs.
• After holding the Boll Weevils scoreless in the sixth, the Muleriders broke the tie with two runs in the sixth. Both of those runs scored on a single to left field by Mrstik
• A half inning later, the score was tied again as the Boll Weevils scored twice
• In the top of the eighth, UAM took a one-run lead after an unearned run crossed home plate
• Now trailing by a run, the Muleriders managed to tie the game once more in the bottom of the eighth as McPherson connected for his second homer of the game, this one a solo shot out to centerfield.
• Both teams were retired in order in the ninth as each went to their closers. SAU's closer Makezy Larsen also pitched a perfect top of the 10^th with a pair of strikeouts, but with one out in the bottom of the inning, SAU walked it off against the Boll Weevils' closer Dawson Moser as Richardson hammered the game-ending homerun out to left-center field.

 
ON THE MOUND – Game 1

• Connor Wells got the start for SAU and pitched 4.1 innings. In his time on the mound, Wells allowed seven hits and nine runs (two unearned) while striking out eight batters.
• Eric Schildt was the first out of the bullpen and tossed 3.2 innings with three runs allowed (one unearned) on five hits. Schildt would strikeout a pair of batters as well.
• Makenzy Larsen was the most effective arm for the Muleriders in game one as he pitched a pair of perfect innings while racking up four strikeouts. Larsen's dominant performance earned him his fourth win as he was the pitcher of record on Richardson's walk-off

 
AT THE PLATE – Game 1

• Both teams clubbed out double-digit hits with the Muleriders edging the Boll Weevils in that department, 13-12.
• Four Muleriders had multiple hits in the game with Cortland McPherson totaling the most hits with three in a 3-for-4 effort. Two of McPherson's hits left the field as he pushed his season home run total to 10.
• Jacob Richardson, who went 2-for-4, joined McPherson in the home run department as he belted the game-winner
• The Muleriders as a team had three more extra-base hits as Mark Fontenot and Cory Gallegos each doubled, while Blake Hall hustled around for his fifth triple of the year.

   
PITCHING DECISIONS – Game 2
W – Kenneth Tabor (9-1)
L – Kris Brown (5-4)
S – NONE
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – Game 2

• After the theatrics in the opener, game two was not in doubt for long as the Muleriders struck for four runs in the bottom of the first and added a run in the second to race out to a 5-0 lead. The runs in the first scored on a doubles by Fontenot and McPherson, a walk to Cory Gallegos, and on a wild pitch. The tally in the second was a solo home run by Rucker.
• The Boll Weevils found the scoreboard in the third and fourth innings with single runs in each frame to make it 5-2, but a run in the bottom of the fourth on another solo bomb by Rucker, and a five-run fifth inning put the game out of reach.
• The Muleriders added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth bring the score to its final of 14-2.

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ON THE MOUND – Game 2

• Kenneth Tabor was steady on the mound for the Muleriders in the start as he pitched 6.0 innings of the scheduled seven-inning contest. In those six innings, Tabor scattered five hits and struck out six.
• On top of Tabor's work on the mound, he was the beneficiary of a relentless offensive attack as he picked up his ninth win of the season
• Jake Alexander pitched the final inning and induced three straight ground balls on just 10 pitched to end the game

 
AT THE PLATE – Game 2

• The Muleriders matched their hit total from the first game with a 13-hit attack in game two, but were able to plate one more run in the night cap for a 14-run output in the lopsided victory
• Of those 13 hits, six went for extra bases and half of those left the ballpark. Trevor Rucker accounted for two of those long balls as he increased his season total to 16. Sam Mrstik also hit a home run, his first of the season
• The other three extra-base hits came as doubles with Mark Fontenot, Cortland McPherson and Michael Page all collecting two-baggers.

 
ON DECK
The Muleriders and Boll Weevils will conclude their three-game series on Saturday with a single game starting at 12:30 p.m. 15 minutes prior to that first-pitch; the Muleriders will hold their annual Senior Day ceremony and as part of that, seven players will be honored. Listed among those are: Dalton Algiene, David LaFleur, Josey Langston, Makenzy Larsen, Michael Page, Trevor Rucker, and Eric Schildt.