DURANT, Okla. – #19/9 Southern Arkansas hit seven home runs and combined for 13 runs in the final three innings of both games to take Friday's Great American Conference doubleheader with Southeastern Oklahoma by scores of 7-4 and 11-8. The victories give the Muleriders (19-8, 14-3 GAC) their fifth league series win and improve the team's conference record to 14-3 overall.
 
In Friday's series opener, SAU evened the game at 2 in the top of the fifth inning as a two-run blast from the bat of junior Justin Hanlin tied the game. The Savage Storm (12-13, 7-8 GAC) with two runs in the home half of the inning to take a 4-2 lead.
 
The Muleriders tied the game in the seventh inning as Hanlin led off the inning with a double and scored in Dakota Wright's at bat as the senior legged out an inside-the-park home run. In the eighth, Southern Arkansas received a leadoff, pinch-hit double from the bat of Zach Muldoon and with two outs in the frame, Hanlin connected on his second home run of the game as a three-run shot out to right field put SAU up 7-4.
 
Hunter Brantley worked six innings and allowed seven hits and four runs. He picked up four strikeouts before Nathan Stubber worked the final three frames to earn the win after Southern Arkansas gained the lead in the seventh.
 
In the seven-inning affair, the two offenses combined for 20 hits and 19 runs in a game that saw a combined six home runs and ten extra base hits.
 
Junior Josh Walker matched Hanlin's performance in the opener as he hit a pair of home runs: a two-run homer in the first inning that put SAU up 2-0 and a solo shot in the fifth inning that cut the Mulerider deficit to 6-4.
 
With his inside-the-park home run in the first game, Wright was able to trot around the base paths in the fifth inning of game two as he capped the Muleriders' six-run inning with a grand slam which put SAU up 9-6.
 
After Southeastern Oklahoma answered with two runs in the sixth inning, senior Jansen McCurdy cushioned the one-run Mulerider lead with a two-run home run to left centerfield that gave junior closer Matt Kortendick a three-run lead as he worked around a two-out double to pick up a two-inning save; his sixth of the season.
 
Parker Abrego improved his record to 3-0 after pitching three innings of relief in support of starter Tanner Vaught. Abrego allowed two hits, a pair of walks and three runs.
 
Hanlin recorded four hits on Friday, while Baker, Muldoon, McCurdy and Wright each collected three hits.
 
The Muleriders and the Savage Storm conclude the series on Saturday in a first-pitch set for noon. Live coverage links available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.