HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Junior transfer Wyatt Marr scattered eight hits over 6.1 innings and allowed no earned runs in his SAU debut, the Muleriders struck for thirteen hits plating ten runs with six coming over the final two innings of play and #11/5 Southern Arkansas handled Northwest Missouri 10-2 on Monday afternoon at the Dugan Invitational from Majestic Park's Babe Ruth Field.
 
Marr, in his first year in Magnolia after transferring from North Greenville University, fanned six batters in the victory and stranded runners in scoring position in the second and third innings, while the SAU bats were heating up with two first-inning runs on its way to a 4-0 lead through five innings of play.
 
Sophomore Will Richardson opened scoring in the top half of the first inning with a base hit that plated freshman transfer Brandon Nicoll for the game's first run. The first of three walks to freshman transfer Jakob Machuca in the ensuing at bat loaded the bases for junior Ty Manning who chased home SAU's second run by drawing a base on balls.
 
The ten runs on Monday could have been a lot more as Southern Arkansas left 15 runners on the base paths, including three in the first, fourth and fifth innings. In the fifth, junior Riley Orr singled home both Richardson and Manning to stake Marr to a 4-0 lead.
 
A fielding error plated NWMSU's first run in the seventh, but the Muleriders added three more in the visiting half of the eighth as Nicoll deposited a solo home run prior to junior Conner Allen singling in Richardson and Manning as SAU took a 7-1 lead in the eighth. The Bearcats added its final run in the home half of the frame on a solo home run, but the Muleriders added three more runs in the ninth as Nicoll plated sophomore Chris Sutton and Richardson doubled to the gap in left centerfield to tally the final two runs.
 
Seven players recorded a hit with Nicoll and Richardson each producing three. Richardson plated three runs, while Nicoll, Allen and Orr each delivered two RBI. Nicoll scored three times.
 
Sophomore Chance Bolter tossed a third of an inning in relief of Marr, junior Jack Liddell pitched 1.1 innings recording three strikeouts and working around two hits and a walk, and sophomore Kade Garmany recorded the final three outs with two coming via strikeout.
 
The Muleriders return to Central Arkansas this weekend for three games at the Henderson State Invitational from HSU's Clyde Berry Field in Arkadelphia. SAU opens with Monday's opponent Northwest Missouri in the primetime 6 p.m. slot on Friday, February 11. Live coverage links will be available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.