MAGNOLIA, Ark. - New year. Same expectations. The yearbook has been put away and the goal remains the same: to win a national championship. For consensus top five-ranked Southern Arkansas the journey back to Division II Baseball's biggest stage begins in Hot Springs as the Muleriders, under the leadership of seventh-year head coach Justin Pettigrew, return to action for NCAA season No. 27 this weekend as a four-game slate against formidable in-region opposition awaits SAU at the Dugan Invitational.
 
Up first for the Muleriders at Majestic Park is a 1 p.m. season-opening first pitch against Northwest Missouri on Saturday, February 4. The Muleriders meet NR/(RV) Northeastern State on Sunday at 4 p.m. and will play back-to-back games on Monday, February 6 beginning first with NR/(RV) Washburn at 12:30 p.m. and closing out the invitational with Rogers State at 3:30 p.m.
 
A FULLY ADORN(O)ED CROWN
He's back. However, last season's crown of achievements has been set to the side and the 2023 campaign is ready for his next round of bejeweled moments. Sophomore RHP Jeremy Adorno returns for Southern Arkansas following one of the single greatest pitching seasons in program history. A unanimous NCBWA Preseason All-Central Region selection and an NCBWA Preseason First Team All-America honoree entering the 2023 season, Adorno will look to top his first year in Magnolia that saw the Puerto Rico native set the single-season program records for wins and strikeouts of which he led DII Baseball in both.
 
Jack Liddell, Isaiah Haynes, Hayden Hable, Chance Bolter, Santos Sosa, Evan Schroeder and Maddux Solomon all return in the bullpen for SAU this spring. Pettigrew landed several more key pieces to add to the pitching staff in junior college arms Jake Uber (Fort Scott CC), Micah Burke (Navarro College), Landon McAllister (Connors State), Beau Leonards (Grayson College), Dawson Hurford (Western Nebraska CC) and Cy Murphy (Angelina College) as well as a pair of Division I transfers in Mikel Howell (Louisiana-Monroe) and Treshon Paschal (Arkansas State).
 
HIT MEN
Four All-GAC position players are back for the Muleriders in '23. NCBWA Preseason All-America Third Team honoree Brandon Nicoll and NCBWA Preseason All-America Honorable Mention selection Brett McGee return as does fellow NCBWA Preseason All-Central Region selection Riley Orr and All-GAC honorable mention second baseman and all-league defender Chris Sutton. Key pieces Chris Lyles, the GAC Tournament MVP a season ago, Conner Allen and Jakob Machuca all look to expand on big 2022 seasons for Southern Arkansas. Seven players that hit north of .300 return this spring and those seven combined for 414 runs, 375 RBI, 423 hits, 83 doubles, nine triples, and 74 home runs. Additionally, that group added 238 walks, 84 HBP and stole 52 bases.
 
Infielder Tyler Abrego (Navarro College), utility man Mikey McGinnis (Lamar CC), outfielder Chris Garcia (Midland College) and catcher Jack Roubik (NOC-Enid) make up the four position player signees from the junior college ranks that joined Pettigrew and Co. in the Fall of 2022.
 
MAKING HIS MARK
Seventh-year head coach Justin Pettigrew won his 200th game in grand fashion last spring as SAU's comeback win in the regional opener marked the milestone. Overall, Pettigrew owns a 205-88 record having won 70% of the games he has coached in since taking over the program for the 2017 season. He has twice been named GAC Coach of the Year including this past campaign when he was also honored by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) as the Central Region Coach of the Year.
 
THE OPPOSITION
The Muleriders and Bearcats meet for just the fourth time since 2009, but for the second-consecutive season. SAU holds a 3-1 lead in the series including a pair of neutral site wins last spring. Southern Arkansas won 10-2 at last year's inaugural Dugan Invitational and then topped NWMSU 4-2 in Arkadelphia four days later. The Bearcats were picked 8th in the MIAA Preseason Poll. NWMSU is led by staff ace Max Spitzmiller who logged over 100 innings pitched last season with six wins and seven complete games. He was named a NCBWA Third Team Preseason All-American. Two other weekend starters return in Zach Wiese and Alex Slocum. Offensively, just three players with 100+ at-bats from a season ago return to a lineup that will feature a good bit of young talent. 
 
For the second-straight season, SAU and NSU will meet on the diamond. The RiverHawks handed the Muleriders a 7-5 loss in the 2022 season-opener, while NSU posted its best NCAA season to date which resulted in an NCAA Central Region Tournament appearance in Magnolia last May. Northeastern State was slotted third in the MIAA Preseason Poll with one first-place vote. The No. 7 ranked squad in the NCBWA Central Region Top 10, NSU is receiving votes in the CBN DII Top 40 to start the season. Six All-MIAA selections from last year's team return for NSU this spring including outfielder Blake Freeman who was named an NCBWA Preseason All-Central Region selection and an NCBWA Preseason Honorable Mention All-American.
 
The Ichabods and Muleriders convene for the 11th time since 2016 and for the second-straight season. SAU overcame a 9-2 deficit through 2 ½ innings of play against Washburn in last May's NCAA Central Region Tournament opener to win 12-11 and continue a streak of what would be ten consecutive postseason wins. SAU holds a 6-4 advantage in the previous ten meetings which includes winning the previous three matchups. WU was picked fifth in the MIAA Preseason Poll, tenth in the NCBWA Central Region and received votes in the CBN DII Preseason Top 40 to start the season. Per WU Sports Information, the Ichabods return 26 players from last year's Central Region Tournament squad including Casey Steward, Washburn's G1 starter last spring and an All-MIAA second team honoree, and Cal Watkins, an MIAA honorable mention selection after starting 55 games at shortstop last spring.
 
Rogers State and Southern Arkansas meet for the first time on Monday. The Hillcats were tabbed to seventh place in the MIAA Preseason Poll. Last season, RSU posted a 26-25 record overall, a 17-16 record in MIAA play and earned its second-straight trip to the MIAA Tournament. The Hillcats return All-MIAA first team shortstop Jesse Holguin and All-MIAA third team designated hitter Joel Escalante. Catcher Johnathan Soto was named to the All-Defensive team last spring. All-MIAA honorable mention selections in relief pitcher Octavio Sanchez and third baseman Gavin Mestas all return for RSU.
 
OF NOTE
Last season, Southern Arkansas ranked in the top 20 nationally in 13 statistical categories, which included top ten marks in walks (2nd), hit-by-pitch (2nd), home runs (4th), slugging percentage (10th), runs scored (5th), scoring (7th), and complete games (10th). SAU led the GAC in 13 statistical categories and ranked in the top three in the league in eight additional categories.
 
A dozen high school signees round out the roster for the Muleriders in 2023.
 
Under Coach Pettigrew, the Muleriders are 3-3 in season openers. SAU owns a 16-5 record on opening weekend since Pettigrew's first season of 2017 with an unbeaten 4-0 weekend to start 2020.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Fans will be able to follow along with the action via live stats available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com or by clicking each specific matchup below.
 
2/4 vs Northwest Missouri
2/5 vs Northeastern State
2/6 vs Washburn
2/6 vs Rogers State