ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas University Baseball team dismissed the Ouachita Baptist Tigers this afternoon in a 5-4 win at Rab Rogers Field in Arkadelphia. Southern Arkansas improves to 15-7 on the season while the Tigers fall to 12-8. The Muleriders will return to action on Friday, March 17 for a series opening double header against the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm in Bethany, Oklahoma. Live coverage links will be available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
Southern Arkansas Notes
*The Muleriders looked to Johnny Wholestaff to carry out responsibilities from the bump this afternoon in Arkadelphia. Dawson Hurford started things off for the Muleriders in the bottom of the first. His inning saw two runs, both unearned, on two hits and a walk. Landon McAllister followed with an inning that saw zero runs on two hits. Carson Cheek made his second appearance of the season, a single inning that featured the Muleriders' first strikeout of the afternoon and only saw one hit. Chance Bolter held the Tigers hitless for the first time through four innings and Hayden Hable followed with a hitless inning of his own. Hable's outing saw the Tiger's first earned run of the day on two walks. Jake Uber took over pitching responsibilities in the sixth where he tossed SAU's first perfect inning of the day. Jack Liddell allowed one run on one hit in his allotted inning followed by Santos Sosa's eighth inning appearance that saw a single hit and SAU's second and final strikeout of the day. Isiah Haynes wrapped things up for the pitching staff with another perfect inning for the Muleriders.
*Will Richardson reached base in four of his five plate appearances this afternoon, drawing two walks and recording two base knocks. Chris Lyles and Riley Orr additionally recorded multiple hits on the day with both seeing one hit each go for two bags.
*Southern Arkansas had yet to be on the board through four innings of play, but the Muleriders flipped the script and posted a three-run frame in the fifth, allowing them to take a one-run lead. Riley Orr notched his second and the Muleriders' second hit of the game in the first at bat of the inning. His early double allowed him to take third on a balk that put the Muleriders the closest they had been to scoring all day. In true Mulerider fashion, SAU began a scoring rally with two outs on the board, starting with a Brandon Nicoll single to right field that plated Orr. Birthday boy Chris Lyles followed with a double to put two Muleriders in scoring position for the first time in the contest. Richardson singled to bring Nicoll home before McGinnis reached on a throwing error by the short stop that additionally allowed Lyles to score the final run of the inning for the Muleriders.
*SAU jumped out to the lead once again following a two-run seventh inning. Nicoll drew a walk in SAU's first AB of the inning and was advanced to second on a Richardson single down the left field line. Mikey McGinnis brought home the first run on a double down the right field line before Jakob Machuca plated run number two on a sacrifice fly.
Ouachita Baptist Notes
*Cade Crossland started thins off for the Tigers on the mound where he tossed 4.0 scoreless innings that saw five walks and just a single hit. Luke House followed with 3.0 innings himself where he allowed four runs on six hits, half of which went of extra bases. Jacob Bowman wrapped the final 2.0 innings up with a scoreless effort that saw just a single hit.
*The Tigers jumped out to an early lead on their home field this Tuesday, snagging a two-run advantage over the Muleriders in the first inning. A SAU fielding error, single, and walk allowed for the Tigers to load the bases with a single out. Dustin Bermudez drove in the first OUA run on a fielder's choice before Isaac Nowell brought home the Tigers' second run with a single through the left side.
*Ouachita tied play up at three runs a piece in the bottom of the fifth following the comeback effort from SAU in the top of the inning. Two walks and stolen bases allowed for Bermudez sacrifice bunt to drive in his second run of the afternoon.
*The Tigers cut away at the Mulerider lead once again, this time reducing the SAU lead to one-run. A Jud Arrington double to begin the Tigers' half of the seventh inning allowed for the senior to advance to third and score on consecutive lineouts by his teammates.
