Durant, Okla. – Southern Arkansas split the day two double header in their GAC opener against Southeastern Oklahoma to take the series 2-1 and improve to 7-2 on the season. The Savage Storm edged the Muleriders 4-1 in game one, but Southern Arkansas bounced back in game two to win 10-5 against the GAC rival. Game one saw a single run brought home from a Chris Sutton single through the left side to score Riley Orr. Game two featured an explosive third inning that blew the game wide open and gained SAU a 9-1 advantage with four innings remaining. The inning featured three RBI singles, two from Nicoll alone, and two Mulerider home runs.
Southern Arkansas will return to Walker Stadium at Goodheart field for the first time in 267 days on Tuesday, February 21 for a non-conference midweek matchup against Arkansas Tech. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. Live coverage links will be available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
GAME ONE
INNINGS – 9 R H E
Southern Arkansas 1 4 0
Southeastern 4 13 0
PITCHING IP P H R ER BB SO BF
Southern Arkansas
(L) Mikel Howell 6.0 99 9 3 3 2 2 28
Jack Liddell 2.0 30 4 1 1 1 1 11
Total 8.0 13 4 4 3 3
Southeastern OK
Connor Priest 4.2 87 4 1 1 2 8 20
(W) Cameron Hauch 4.1 61 0 0 0 0 6 13
Total 9.0 4 1 1 2 14
Southern Arkansas Notes
*SAU scored their fewest runs of the season (nine games) and tied their season low hits. The team combined for a .129 batting average (4-31).
*Southern Arkansas remained hitless until the fourth inning when Brett McGee and Mikey McGinnis singled.
*The Muleriders recorded their other two hits and solo run in the fifth as Riley Orr doubled to record the one and only extra base hit of the game. Orr advanced to third on a wild pitch and Sutton brought him home with a two-out single.
*Mikel Howell earned his first loss (2-1) of the season after allowing his most hits and runs of his three starts. The junior allowed his first extra-base hit of his Mulerider career and struck out a season-low two batters.
Southeastern Notes
*Cameron Cromer and Dylan Herd each collected three hits, Joseph Ramirez added two and five others recorded a single hit. Cromer and Herd accounted for two RBI while Sam Creed and Cameron French forced across the other two.
*Cameron Hauch tossed 4.1 relied innings to earn the win following his hitless outing.
*The team combined for a .382 batting average (13-34)
GAME TWO
INNINGS – 9 R H E
Southern Arkansas 10 11 1
Southeastern 5 7 2
PITCHING IP P H R ER BB SO BF
Southern Arkansas
(W) Wyatt Marr 7.0 96 7 5 5 0 6 28
Total 96 7 5 5 0 6
Southeastern OK
(L) Dylan Turner 2.0 34 6 5 5 0 3 13
Hayden Alexander 0.2 29 2 4 4 2 0 7
Michael Barta 3.1 36 1 0 0 0 5 10
Jackson Sioson 1.0 27 2 1 0 1 1 6
Total 9.0 11 10 9 3 9
HOMERUNS INN. TYPE OUTS PITCHER
Chris Lyles 3 3-Run 0 H. Alexander
Conner Allen 3 2-Run 0 H. Alexander
Southern Arkansas Notes
*SAU recorded 10 or more runs for the third time this season and recorded their second-best combined average, recording 11 hits on 31 at bats for a .355 average. The team saw double digit hits for the fourth time through nine games.
*Brandon Nicoll recorded two hits with both occurring in the third inning. The sophomore has recorded a hit in all but one game this season (game one 2/18 DH) and has recorded multiple hits in five. Nicoll posts the second-best team avg (.371, 13-35), has recorded the most hits of any Mulerider and is tied for first in RBI (10).
*McGee, Nicoll, Richardson, Lyles and Allen all recorded two hits while Sutton had one to have recorded a hit in each of his last five games.
*Both Lyles and Allen hit their first home runs of the season. Lyles was the first batter H. Alexander saw after P. Turner allowed three consecutive singles (McGee, Nicoll, Richardson) to bring in three Mulerider runs. Lyles homered to right field to bring in three runners, including himself. Alexander dealt just a single walk between home runs. McGinnis drew a walk that allowed Allen's homer to left to score two runs. After knocking a single earlier in the inning, Nicoll returned to the plate where he singled to right to advance Sutton across home plate and score the ninth and final SAU run of the inning.
*SAU saw its tenth and final run in the top of the seventh when Allen singled to right and scored Lyles and record his third RBI of the seven-inning game.
*Wyatt Marr earned his first win of the season following a complete game effort where he allowed five runs on seven hits. The senior tossed his most innings of his three appearances and allowed his first runs of the season.
Southeastern Notes
*Seth Morrow recorded three hits, all for extra bases (two 2b, HR) to finish with three RBI. Reid Rice tallied two hits that accompanied his two runs. Ramirez accounted for the team's other RBI, bringing home SOSU's final run in the seventh.
*More than half of the team's hits went for extra bases.
*Dylan Turner fell to 1-2 on the season after recording his shortest outing of the season where he gave up his most runs yet.
*Hayden Alexander gave up his first runs and allowed his first walks of the season.
