Clinton, Miss. – The SAU Baseball team, one day removed from a conference doubleheader against Harding, hit the road to Mississippi to take on the 18
th-ranked Choctaws from Mississippi College.
The Muleriders won the midweek matchup 12-6 due to a seven-run first inning that was the result of five Mulerider hits and two Choctaws errors.
Austin Baker led off the game with a leadoff single;
Jansen McCurdy followed with a groundout that advanced Baker to second base;
Brett McGee reached on a single and
Cooper King reached on a walk, and
Josh Walker singled in Baker as everyone moved up a base. McGee and King scored on the next play when
Justin Hanlin reached base on a throwing error by the Choctaws second baseman.
Mason Peterson then singled in Walker, and
Dakota Wright walked to load the bases for the Muleriders again.
Devin Beard's sacrifice fly then scored Hanlin, with Peterson scoring on a following error by the catcher. Baker then hit his second single of the inning, scoring Wright; Baker then stole second and took third on a wild pitch before McCurdy walked. A pitching change for the Choctaws saw them get out of the inning on the next batter.
The Choctaws fought back from their seven-run deficit, scoring in the second, fourth and fifth inning to bring the game to 7-5.
The Muleriders put together a two-out rally in the top of the sixth inning, started by a Peterson double down the left field line.
Chad Paris came in to pinch run, and scored on a Wright single. Wright then stole second, and later scored on a
Devin Beard double.
The Muleriders put their final three runs on the board in the seventh inning, again with two outs, with King, Walker and Hanlin all reaching base due to a walk, hit by pitch and walk, respectively, before King scored on a wild pitch that advanced all three runners.
Jordan Volner walked to load the bases again and
Seth Hudgins pinch ran for him. Walker scored on a wild pitch that advanced all three runners, and Wright subsequently walked. Beard walked in the final run as the Muleriders' three runs in the seventh inning came without a single hit along the way.
Remy Bilodeau started the game on the mound for the Muleriders, and he lasted 4.2 innings, giving up six hits, five runs (three earned) and a walk, striking out three before making way for
Austin Stubber, who pitched the final 4.1 innings for the Muleriders, picking up his first win of the season in the process. Stubber only allowed three hits and one run while striking out four opposing batters.
The Muleriders improve to 10-4 overall on the season. They are on the road once again as they make the trip up to Alva to take on Northwestern Oklahoma State in a three-game conference series.
