MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas rallied in the ninth inning of Sunday's Great American Conference series finale against Oklahoma Baptist, but the tying run was left at third as the Muleriders stranded the bases loaded after plating two to pull within 7-6 of the Bison lead. OBU salvaged the series and in the process, coupled with an Arkansas Tech loss at Southwestern Oklahoma, created a three-way tie atop the GAC standings.
 
Southern Arkansas (21-9, 17-7 GAC) collected nine hits in the loss with senior Austin Baker doubling twice, senior Kobe Morris doubling once and sophomore Ty Manning homering in game three. Baker scored twice and six players accounted for the team's six RBI.
 
Manning's fifth home run of the season, a solo shot in the second inning that exited Walker Stadium down the left field line, opened scoring on Sunday.
 
In the fourth inning, the Bison managed to get to Mulerider starting pitcher Remy Bilodeau as OBU struck for three runs in a two-hit, three walk, one hit-by-pitch frame to take a 3-1 lead. The damage could have been much more, but Bilodeau used a groundout that resulted in the cutting down of the lead runner at home and a two-out fly out that stranded the bases loaded.
 
Bilodeau went 4.2 innings allowing five runs on five hits and six walks. He struck out three before giving way to freshman reliever Santos Sosa who tossed the final 4.1 innings with three strikeouts. Sosa allowed four hits and two earned runs.
 
The Muleriders answered in the home half of the fourth inning on a sac fly RBI from senior Mason Peterson, but SAU left runners at the corners in a 3-2 game.
 
A one-out solo home run and a two-out RBI double by the Bison in the fifth inning pushed the visitor's advantage to 5-2. Again, the Muleriders responded for a single run in the next half frame as junior Jacob Martinez plated Baker on a sacrifice fly.
 
Oklahoma Baptist added its sixth run in the sixth with an RBI single and the Muleriders answered following the stretch as Morris doubled home Baker to make it 6-4 OBU.
 
The Bison followed with a run in the ninth inning on a wild pitch and it proved to be the winning run as the Muleriders threatened during their last trip to the plate by plating two without swinging the bat (HBP, BB) before leaving the bases loaded to end the game.  
 
The Muleriders face a quick turnaround as a midweek affair at home vs. #24 UT-Tyler is up next. First pitch for the Tuesday, April 20 contest is set for 3 p.m. Southern Arkansas topped the Lone Star Conference's Patriots 5-4 on the road on March 16. Prior to game, representatives of the Walker Foundation and special donors to the Johnson-Dawson Player Development Facility will be honored. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.