ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – It took a handful of pitchers and three innings of at least three runs for #13 Southern Arkansas to outlast Missouri Western 11-9 from Clyde Berry Field in the final day of action at the HSU Invitational.
Five pitchers saw time on the mound for SAU on Sunday afternoon and the Muleriders (4-3) banged out 11 hits to go along with 11 runs. It marked the third game in four days that SAU has recorded at least ten hits in a game and it is the third time in four games that SAU produced at least nine runs. The win over the Griffons (2-5) concludes SAU's four-game weekend at the HSU Invitational which saw the club post a 2-2 record.
SAU trailed 5-0 after the first half-inning as MWSU registered six hits in the frame to take the early lead. The Muleriders answered by cutting into their deficit by scoring three first-inning runs on a hit-by-pitch, walk and a sacrifice fly.
The second three-run frame for Southern Arkansas would come in the fourth inning as a trio of extra-base hits started the inning.
Zach Muldoon led off the inning with a double into left field and
Josh Walker homered to right centerfield to tie the game at 5.
Jansen McCurdy followed Walker and matched Muldoon with a double of his own into left field and scored to give the Muleriders a 6-5 lead on a single into left field by
Cole Boyd.
The Griffons responded with two runs to regain the lead in the fifth inning, but Walker's at bat in the bottom half of the frame resulted in the game-tying run crossing home.
Single runs in the sixth and seventh innings set Missouri Western to a 9-7 lead after the stretch. But Southern Arkansas would produce a four-run seventh inning to lead 11-9, before allowing one of their top relievers in
Matt Kortendick to close down the Griffons in the eighth and ninth innings to earn his second win of the season.
Kortendick entered in relief of JT Watt with one out in the seventh and following a two-out, two-run triple from the bat of Walker and the go-ahead two-run single from
Austin Baker, the right-hander was staked to a two-run lead and allowed just one base runner with no hits in the final two frames.
Eight of the nine position players for Southern Arkansas recorded a hit with Walker,
Brett McGee, and
Dakota Wright each recording a pair. Walker delivered five RBI and Wright scored three runs. The Muleriders took advantage of seven walks as four players that reached on free passes eventually scored.
The Muleriders head back to Arkadelphia as Great American Conference play begins February 15. Southern Arkansas and Henderson State will meet in a 6 p.m. series opener from Clyde Berry Field on Friday and will play a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 16. Live coverage links are available at
www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
