ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Freshman Brandon Nicoll went 3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored and finished a single shy of the cycle, #6/3 Southern Arkansas rallied in the middle innings, tied the Great American Conference series finale at Ouachita at 6 in the eighth, but dropped its first league game of the campaign as the Tigers salvaged the weekend with a walk off single in the ninth inning to secure a 7-6 victory over SAU on Monday afternoon from Rab Rodgers Field.
 
The Muleriders (17-3, 11-1 GAC) sit atop the GAC standings through the first third of the conference slate (four series). The 17 wins through the season's first twenty games match the effort of the 2020 squad which suffered just three defeats through the season's opening twenty games. The 11-1 start to league play is the program's best since winning 11 of 12 to open GAC action during the 2017 campaign.
 
Nicoll's fifth homer of the season left the yard in the top half of the first inning to open scoring. Ouachita responded in the second with a grand slam, while an RBI groundout by senior Jacob Martinez plated Nicoll in the fourth inning after the latter led off the frame with a triple. The Tigers' lead grew to 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth, but in the fifth, Nicoll brought the Muleriders to within a run of the OUA advantage at 6-5 with a three-run double into the right centerfield gap.
 
A bases loaded walk to sophomore Chris Sutton in the eighth plated freshman Jakob Machuca and tied the game at six and Southern Arkansas nearly forced extras before the Tigers ended it with an RBI single into left field with two gone in the ninth.
 
Nicoll recorded three of SAU's five hits and accounted for four of the team's six RBI. SAU walked eight times in the loss with Sutton and junior Brett McGee each drawing a pair.
 
Sophomore Kade Garmany worked the final 2.2 for SAU allowing only three hits and a run. Junior Wyatt Marr started and went 3.0 innings allowing five hits and four walks. Junior Parker Abrego relieved Marr and tossed the middle three allowing two hits, walking six and striking out four.
 
Southern Arkansas faces a quick turnaround as a non-league affair with longtime rival Arkansas-Monticello awaits on Tuesday from inside Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.