MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The No. 27-ranked Southern Arkansas Baseball team saw their offense keep on rolling on Saturday afternoon as the Muleriders plated 23 runs on 22 hits en route to a doubleheader sweep over Northwestern Oklahoma State. The twinbill double-dip also gave the Muleriders the series sweep over the Rangers and is their second GAC sweep this season.
 

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LINE SCORE – GAME 1	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
NWOSU Rangers (13-16, 7-10 GAC)	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	11	3
#27 SAU Muleriders (18-8, 12-5 GAC)	3	4	0	1	3	0	1	0	X	12	13	0

 
PITCHING DECISIONS – GAME 1
W – Jacob Stroder (5-2)
L – Cole Jackson (2-2)
S – None
 
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS – GAME 1

• Jacob Richardson set the tone for the remainder of the day as he hammered a three-run home run out to centerfield in the bottom of the first inning to give the Muleriders an early lead.
• NWOSU answered back in the next half inning off of SAU starter Jacob Stroder and took a one-run lead, 4-3, as they scored four runs on five hits in the frame.
• SAU matched that four-run output in the bottom of the second as the Muleriders regained the lead, 7-4. In that inning, Jake Tisevich, Richardson, and Cortland McPherson all picked up RBIs.
• Given the lead once more, Stroder made it hold up as he held the Ranger offense in check the remainder of his outing that saw him pitch eight strong innings. After the second inning, NWOSU managed just three singles over the next six innings off of Stroder.
• With Stroder in control, the Mulerider offense added five more runs with a single runs in the fourth and seventh and three in the fifth. The run in the fourth was Tisevich scoring on a wild pitch and the lone run in the seventh came on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Dakota Wright, scoring Sam Mrstik. In the fifth, Mrstik scored on a passed ball and then three batters later Zach Muldoon singled up the middle to score Wright. Two batter later, Austin Baker doubled home Muldoon.
• The Rangers plated two runs in the top of the ninth to bring the game to its final of 12-6.

 
ON THE MOUND – GAME 1

• Jacob Stroder improved to 5-2 overall as he pitched 8.0 innings. In his time on the mound, Stroder allowed nine hits (all singles) and four earned runs, but five of the hits and all four of the runs came in the second inning.
• Stroder also walked one and struck out a career-high 13 Rangers.
• The 13 Ks better his best by one, and are the most strikeouts in a game since 2016 when Hunter Mayo had 13 strikeouts against Northwestern Oklahoma.

 
AT THE PLATE – GAME 1

• Seven Muleriders in the starting order had a hit with four going for multiple hits.
• The top five batters in the lineup combined to go 12-for-19 (.632) with nine runs scored and seven RBIs.
• Jacob Richardson and Sam Mrstik paced the lineup with 3-for-4 efforts. Richardson would tally the most RBIs with four in the game.

 

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LINE SCORE – GAME 2	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
NWOSU Rangers (13-17, 7-11 GAC)	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	2	3	3
#27 SAU Muleriders (19-8, 13-5 GAC)	3	0	0	6	2	0	X	11	9	0

 
PITCHING DECISIONS – GAME 2
W – Kenneth Tabor (6-1)
L – Walker Wharton (5-1)
S – None
 
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS – GAME 2

• As they did in the first game on Saturday, the Muleriders struck for three runs in the bottom of the first in the nightcap. This time, it was Mrstik ripping a two-RBI triple to right-centerfield to spark the scoring. On that triple, Mrstik came around to score thanks to a throwing error by the Rangers' centerfielder to make it 3-0, SAU.
• In the top of the third, NWOSU registered their first run of the game on a solo home run by Dashal Johnson.
• After being retired in order in the third, the Muleriders opened the game up as they scored six runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth.
• Cortland McPherson triggered the big inning with a leadoff walk. Mrstik then followed with a double to right-centerfield. A hit-by-pitch to James Trevanion loaded the bases with no outs. In the next at-bat, Wright nearly hit his third grand slam of the season as he doubled off the wall in left field, scoring McPherson and Mrstik. Muldoon then chased home Trevanion on a sacrifice fly for the third run that inning. Two batters later, Baker doubled home Wright.
• A fielding error by the Rangers' second baseman extended the inning and allowed for Richardson to collect a RBI single and Mrstik to add a RBI on a bases loaded walk.
• An inning later, SAU pushed across two more runs on a two-RBI double to right-centerfield by Tisevich. That gave SAU 11 runs in the game and marked the third time in the series that the offense tallied 10 or more runs.
• As was the case in game one, NWOSU accounted for the final run in the game as their second solo home run in the contest came in the top of the sixth to bring the score to its final of 11-2.

 
ON THE MOUND – GAME 2

• The Muleriders used three pitchers in the series finale with Kenneth Tabor getting the start. Tabor, who improved his record to 6-1, pitched 5.0 innings and allowed just one hit and one earned run. Tabor had to work around five walks, but struck out six.
• Nick Starr and Eric White took care of the final two innings with Starr handling the sixth and White the seventh.
• Starr would allow a pair of hits and one earned run with a strikeout as well.
• White was dominant needing just 11 pitches to have a perfect inning to close out the game. Two of the outs recorded by White were strikeouts.

 
AT THE PLATE – GAME 2

• The Muleriders totaled nine hits as a team with five going for extra bases (four doubles, one triple).
• Three Muleriders registered multiple hits with Baker leading the way with a 3-for-4 game. Baker also scored three runs and had a RBI. Mrstik went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and three RBIs, and Wright was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs.

 
ON DECK
The Muleriders will continue their homestand this coming week with five more games on tap at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field. The first two of those will be against former conference rival Delta State as the Muleriders and Statesmen are scheduled to play a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 27.