WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Friday evening's Central Region opener ushered in NCAA postseason play for (5) Southern Arkansas and the Muleriders, after having two weeks off from action, responded in multiple high-leverage situations as a trio of game-changing and momentum-shifting home runs coupled with a gritty effort from a pair of SAU arms lifted the club past (2) Augustana in the nightcap from Crane Stadium on the campus of the University of Central Missouri. The 8-6 win, Southern Arkansas' first in a postseason opener since a 9-2 decision over Emporia State in 2015, sends fifth-year head coach Justin Pettigrew's squad to a 7 p.m. matchup with (3) Minnesota State on Saturday.
 
The Muleriders (28-14) used a grand slam from the bat of sophomore Ty Manning which highlighted a five-run fourth inning, an RBI-sacrifice fly by senior Zach Muldoon in the fifth and solo home runs from sophomore Brett McGee in both the seventh and ninth innings to provide enough offensive support for the uncompromising pitching efforts of starter Jacob Womack (W, 8-1) and reliever Remy Bilodeau (S, 2).
 
The weather (low-to-mid 50s; 5-12 mph N wind) may have made Friday's matchup feel like a season opener, but the action that took place between the lines certainly lived up to its postseason billing. Southern Arkansas answered Augustana offensively both after the Vikings took a 3-0 lead through three innings, and after they tied the game at 5-5 through four innings.
 
Augustana managed to get to Womack in the third inning as Jaxon Rosencranz sent a 0-2 pitch out for the game's first run moments before Viking All-American Will Olson drove in a pair with two outs on the first pitch he saw of his second at bat.
 
With one out in the next half inning, Southern Arkansas, which until that point had struck out six times, was hitless and had managed just one base runner, used back-to-back singles from junior Jacob Martinez and McGee and walks to Muldoon and junior Tucker Burton to set the stage for Manning who deposited the first pitch he saw of the at bat over the left field wall that put SAU up 5-3 through three and a half innings.
 
The Muleriders ended Augie starter Ryan Jares' (L, 6-2) day after 4.2 inning in which he allowed six runs on five hits and four walks to go with eight strikeouts. The six runs, all of which were earned, allowed by the sophomore are a season-high for the ace of one of the nation's top pitching staffs.
 
Womack went seven innings as he scattered nine hits with just two walks and aiding his ability to log his fourth outing of seven or more innings pitched was a six-pitch first inning highlighted by a trio of defensive plays from senior third baseman Kobe Morris. After the Vikings tied the game at 5-5, Womack went 1-2-3 in the fifth, picked off the lone base runner in the sixth and limited a potentially big inning for Augustana in the post-stretch seventh that saw them manage just one run despite having the bases loaded with no outs.
 
Muldoon's sac-fly chased home consensus All-Region performer Austin Baker and put SAU back on top at 6-5 which promptly ended Jares' day on the hill. McGee's blast in the seventh, a deep shot out to right field off of Augie lefthander Koby Bishop, helped cushion the lead and after the Vikings struck for the aforementioned run to pull within 7-6, Bilodeau took over in the eighth and worked around a leadoff walk and a sac bunt which put the tying run at second with one out. The sophomore right hander used a fly out and an emotional punch out to escape which in turn fired up his teammates. Bilodeau allowed a hit and two walks in two innings to earn his second save of the season.
 
McGee's 14^th home run of the campaign could not have come at a better time as he launched a 2-2 pitch, a towering shot that sailed over the right field wall and pushed the Muleriders back out front by a pair of runs at 8-6 in the ninth.
 
It took a great defensive play to hold off the Vikings in the bottom half of the final frame as Bilodeau forced AU's Riley Johnson to line into a double play that started with Baker on the line out and ended with Orr beating Sam Baier back to the bag at second to end the game.
 
McGee led the team with three hits, three runs scored and two RBI. Manning's four RBI were critical as it gave the Muleriders their first lead. Burton doubled and Morris stole three bases.