Box Score WEATHERFORD, Okla. – A change of venue did not affect Southern Arkansas in its Great American Conference series opener as the nationally-ranked Muleriders toppled Southwestern Oklahoma State 15-6 in game one which included a combined ten runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. The series' second game will resume tomorrow after being temporarily paused due to darkness. The Muleriders lead 8-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
In the series opener, Southern Arkansas plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning as senior Kobe Morris scored on a fielding error following a single from junior Jacob Martinez. Martinez advanced to third on a wild pitch in senior Mason Peterson's at bat and was chased home on an RBI groundout by the latter.
 
Southwestern Oklahoma answered with a four-run frame off of Mulerider starting pitcher Zach Smith during the Bulldogs' second trip to the plate to lead by a pair of runs following a tense half inning of play.
 
The top half of the second inning injected some life into the Southern Arkansas sticks as the Muleriders erupted for five runs in the fourth inning, added a single run in the fifth and pushed across four more runs in the sixth to lead 12-5 through seven.
 
SAU scored at least a single run in their final five trips to the plate and added three more runs over the seventh and eighth innings in support of SAU reliever Santos Sosa who took over after Smith went 6.0 innings. Sosa worked the final three frames allowing just four hits and an unearned run.
 
Highlighting the offensive output in game one, which saw SAU plate at least 15 runs for the second-consecutive game, was the Muleriders drawing 16 base-on-balls. Eight of the nine starters drew at least one walk in the victory. Six of the walked batters came around to score.
 
Martinez led SAU with three hits and three runs scored in the opener and senior Josh Walker followed with two base knocks, while five other Muleriders collected one hit. Walker along with senior Austin Baker, sophomore Riley Orr, and junior Tucker Burton all scored twice. Walker delivered three RBI and Burton added two as both players hit home runs with the latter's coming in the fourth inning, while the former's left the yard in the sixth. Sophomore Brett McGee blasted his third home run of the season following the stretch.
 
The 15-run game one output marked the first time since the 2017 season that Southern Arkansas scored 15 or more runs in back-to-back games (March 8 vs. LSUS, 16-8; March 12 vs. Southern Nazarene, 16-6).
 
SAU fell behind early in game two as they faced a 3-0 deficit after one inning and a 4-2 decision through three and a half, but used a four-run effort in the bottom of the frame to take a 6-4 lead. SWOSU scratched for single run in the fifth and SAU answered with two more, which came off of a two-run shot from McGee, his fourth of the campaign, in the bottom half to lead 8-5.
 
The Muleriders have managed just four hits in game two compared to ten by the Bulldogs, but SAU has taken advantage of seven walks and three errors. Sophomore Remy Bilodeau relieved Mulerider starter Parker Abrego after 4.1 innings. Bilodeau has faced seven hitters and allowed just two hits with two strikeouts.
 
Live coverage links for all of tomorrow's action are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.