ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - You knew they couldn't be kept down long. After totaling 13 runs in four games last weekend, #2 Southern Arkansas pushed across a dozen runs on 11 hits against Missouri Western to earn a 12-2 run-rule victory and improve to 4-1 on the season on a damp day at the Henderson State Invitational.
Junior Chris Sutton went 2-for-2 with three RBI and three runs scored. Sophomore Brandon Nicoll continued his early season tear at the plate with a pair of doubles, two RBI, a run scored and two stolen bags. Senior Riley Orr collected two hits and scored twice. Seniors Brett McGee and Conner Allen each scored twice and the former delivered an RBI. Five Muleriders recorded one hit. SAU collected three extra base hits in four games last weekend. On Friday, the Muleriders struck for five. As a team, SAU walked six times and benefited from four HBP.
On the mound, it was all about sophomore right hander Jeremy Adorno for the first five innings. One of 55 amateur baseball players selected to the 2023 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List, which was announced as he was making his 19th start as a Mulerider, Adorno allowed just one hit and struck out the side in the third and fourth innings as part of an eight punch out performance.
Sophomores Landon McAllister and Beau Leonards each worked an inning in relief of Adorno.
It happened early for SAU offensively and it happened often through the first three innings as the lineup struck for nine of its runs on nine hits in its first three trips to the plate.
Sutton stole home for the game's first run in the top of the first inning and then chased a run home on a sacrifice fly in the second that plated junior Chris Lyles in the second. McGee followed with a sacrifice fly of his own to score Allen and with two gone in the frame, Nicoll doubled to score Orr and push the Muleriders out front 4-0 as MWSU used three arms through the first three innings.
Sophomore Mikey McGinnis notched a two-bagger to lead off the third, moved to third on a fly out from junior Jacob Richardson and scored on a sacrifice fly by Lyles. A throwing error in Allen's at bat would keep the third alive and the Muleriders would make the Griffons pay. Sutton singled home a pair in Allen and Orr to make it 7-0, while consecutive doubles by McGee and Nicoll each resulted in runs to place SAU up 9-0.
A two-run single from the swing of sophomore Jakob Machuca in the fifth was followed by an RBI groundout by Richardson and gave Southern Arkansas a comfortable 12-0 lead. MWSU plated its first runs in the sixth and seventh innings before the run rule was invoked.
The victory keeps SAU's all-time record against MWSU unbeaten at 11-0. It is the third-straight contest decided by a run-rule in the series which dates back to 2005.
The Muleriders return to action on Saturday for an 11 a.m. first pitch against Lane College. It will be the first meeting all-time between the two programs. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
