TYLER, Texas – Sophomore pitcher Jacob Womack recorded a quality start on Tuesday afternoon as the right-hander went 6.0 innings allowing just four hits and an earned run to go along with five strikeouts and Southern Arkansas backed the effort with a four-run fourth inning which was enough for the Muleriders (9-5) to take down #17 UT-Tyler 5-4 from Irwin Field in east Texas.
 
Womack earned his first win as a Mulerider as SAU has now won four of its past five games. He worked a quick first inning as he induced three groundouts and then operated around a two-out fielding error in the second to strand a pair of runners. The Patriots (10-6) used a lead-off walk in the third inning to tie the game at one on a two-out single.
 
Junior Jacob Martinez opened scoring in the midweek affair with a sacrifice fly that plated sophomore Riley Orr. The Muleriders then broke the tie in the fourth with the aforementioned four-run frame that saw senior Mason Peterson and sophomore Brett McGee both score after a throwing error on a fielder's choice from the bat of Orr. Senior Austin Baker then singled home Orr for the third run of the inning, before Baker scored on a throwing error in Martinez's at bat to stake Womack to a 5-1 lead.
 
Womack used a 4-6-3 double play in the fourth to hold the lead at four runs, before the Muleriders ran into some trouble defensively in the fifth. After a HBP to start the inning, Womack fanned the second batter before a muffed throw in the third at bat allowed both runners to reach safely. A second fielder's choice resulted in the second out, but put runners at the corners where UT-Tyler would use back-to-back two-out RBI singles to pull within two runs of the lead before a wild pitch chased home the third run of the frame.
 
SAU came away empty as two runners were left on in the sixth. In his final inning of work, Womack again used a double play, this time of the 6-4-3 variety to work around a leadoff walk.
 
Sophomore Maddux Solomon took over on the mound in the seventh inning and allowed just one hit in three innings of relief as he retired the first six batters he faced with three fly outs, two groundouts and a strikeout, while working around a leadoff single in the ninth with a 4-3 double play to pick up his first save as a Mulerider.
 
Baker led SAU with three hits and Orr added two hits, two runs scored and a stolen base. Senior Kobe Morris walked twice, stole a base and was one of five Muleriders with a single hit on the night.
 
Southern Arkansas returns to action this weekend for a three-game Great American Conference series as the Muleriders welcome East Central into Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field. Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., while Saturday's twin bill is slated for a 1 p.m. start. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.