MONTICELLO, Ark. - Senior ace Hunter Vasquez scattered nine hits and allowed just one earned run in a complete game effort and the Muleriders received a game-tying home run off the bat of junior Dakota Wright in the eighth inning, but Arkansas-Monticello staved off the rally and plated the go-ahead run in the home half of the eighth to claim the Great American Conference series opener, 3-2.

Southern Arkansas (30-16, 20-11 GAC) managed just four hits with the club's two runs on Friday afternoon coming on an RBI-single from freshman Riley Orr in the top of the second inning and the aforementioned solo blast by Wright in the eighth. A potential second run on the run-scoring single by Orr was erased at the plate to end the inning. 

Arkansas-Monticello answered the Muleriders in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run home run and from that point on until the solo home run by the Weevils to leadoff the eighth inning, Vasquez allowed just five hits and stranded six UAM base runners. 

Seniors Jake Tisevich and Jacob Richardson each collected a hit as did Orr and Wright for Southern Arkansas. 

The Muleriders and Weevils conclude the league series and the regular season tomorrow with a doubleheader slated for a noon start time. UAM clinched the regular season title with the win and the Muleriders are still in a position to lock up the second seed for the upcoming GAC Tournament in Enid, Oklahoma, but will need a pair of wins on Saturday and two losses by Henderson State.