MAGNOLIA, Ark. – 33 combined runs. 31 combined hits with 16 tabbed for extra bases. 13 pitchers. That quickly sums up Wednesday's midweek meeting between #6/3 Southern Arkansas and Arkansas-Monticello and when the smoke cleared it was the Muleriders that were on the losing end of a 19-14 decision from Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field.
Southern Arkansas (17-4) struck for single runs in the first and second innings, but a grand slam from the Weevils in the visiting half of the third inning jumpstarted a three-inning stretch for UAM that saw the bitter league rival tally 13 runs to lead 13-3 through five innings of play. The Muleriders gained a run back in the fifth inning on an RBI double by freshman
Jakob Machuca and delivered a five-run frame in the sixth highlighted by a three-run blast off the bat of freshman
Brandon Nicoll and a towering solo shot parked in the lot behind right field by senior
Tucker Burton that cut the deficit to 13-8 through six.
The Weevils responded with four runs in the pre-stretch seventh and two more in the top of the ninth to push the lead to 19-8, but the Muleriders would not go away easily scoring six runs in the ninth emphasized by a three-run shot to left centerfield from junior
Riley Orr.
The contest also saw a near even number of strikeouts and walks from both sides as the two teams combined for 23 base on balls and 22 strikeouts.
Sophomore
Chris Sutton finished a home run away from the cycle. Nicoll, Machuca and junior
Ty Manning all doubled. Burton walked four times and sophomore
Chris Lyles reached base three times via walk. Sutton and Nicoll combined for half of SAU's dozen hits.
Jack Liddell tossed two thirds of an inning recording a strikeout and allowing no hits or runs.
Maddux Solomon worked around two hits in the eighth and fanned one in one inning of work.
The Muleriders hit the road for a three-game Great American Conference series in Ada, Oklahoma this weekend. Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start with Sunday's finale set for a noon first pitch. Live coverage links are available at
www.MuleriderAthletics.com.