MAGNOLIA, Ark. – #26/28 Southern Arkansas employed the long ball, three by seniors playing their final regular season home game, in its Great American Conference series finale with Arkansas-Monticello as three seniors left the yard in the 8-4 win. The victory salvaged the series for the Muleriders and keeps SAU a game up in the first place with three games left on the regular season docket.
 
Southern Arkansas struck for the day's first run in the home half of the second inning as senior Mason Peterson legged out an infield single with two outs in the frame. In the next at bat, Peterson's hustle paid off as sophomore Riley Orr singled up the middle and chased home the former for an early lead.
 
The Weevils responded in the next half inning as Jordan Johnson plated a run on a one-out sacrifice fly to centerfield. In the UAM fourth, the Weevils took the lead on a solo home run out to left centerfield off the bat of Hudson Hopkins. Two-run home runs by UAM in the fifth and seventh innings helped the Weevils build their lead to 6-1.
 
The Muleriders threatened in the home half of the ninth inning as back-to-back walks put runners at first and second with no outs. Orr delivered a single, but a base running miscue ahead of him resulted in a pair of runners being thrown out in run downs, while a throwing error which was an effort to cut Orr down at second went into right field allowing the sophomore to score.
 
In Saturday's opener, Baker and Orr each collected two hits with Muldoon and Peterson each recording a base knock. Womack suffered his first loss of the season after 6.1 innings pitched with eight hits, five runs and two walks to go with seven strikeouts. Sophomore Parker Abrego worked the final 2.2 allowing one run, one hit and two walks.
 
In game two, an impressive 4-3 double play started and turned by freshman second baseman Chris Sutton highlighted the early going of the series finale for the Muleriders. It was the first of a handful of leather-flashing plays by Sutton. He started a 4-6-3 double play in the top of the fourth inning which came after he made a heads up play up the middle to cut down the lead runner on a fielder's choice play in the top of the second inning.
 
UAM plated the first run as an RBI-groundout from Audy Clary put the Weevils up 1-0. Southern Arkansas responded in the bottom of the second as Peterson lifted a towering three-run, opposite field shot out to left field that staked the Muleriders and starting pitcher Remy Bilodeau to a 3-1 advantage. The deficit increased for the Weevils after Baker blasted his second career home run out to left field; a two-run shot that scored Orr and put SAU ahead 5-1.
 
The Weevils tacked on a single run in the third and added two more in the fifth inning to cut the SAU lead down to a single run. Freshman Santos Sosa appeared for the second time in as many days with two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth. The high pressure situation ended as Sosa induced a line out to Baker in right field.
 
Southern Arkansas helped out its top reliever with two-out run production as Muldoon launched a two-run shot out the centerfield that pushed the Muleriders out front 7-4. Orr supplied an insurance run for SAU in the sixth with a run-scoring double.
 
Baker and Orr again recorded two hits. Manning also picked up two hits. Five of SAU's nine base knocks resulted in extra base hits. Bilodeau earned his fifth win as he worked around nine hits and two walks. Sosa tossed the final 2.1 innings allowing just two hits.
 
Southern Arkansas hits the road to close out the regular season as Northwestern Oklahoma State awaits next weekend in Alva. The series doubleheader is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday, May 7, while series finale is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday, May 8. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.