MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Mulerider baseball team earned the series win over the Oklahoma Baptist Bison this evening following two wins in the Saturday double header at Goodheart Field. Southern Arkansas scored nine runs in both games, winning with a walk off 9-8 decision game one and 9-6 in game two. The teams will return to Walker Stadium tomorrow for the final game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Live coverage links will be available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
Game One
Southern Arkansas Notes
*Brandon Nicoll, Chris Lyles and Mikey McGinnis accounted for all nine RBI in game one of the Saturday double header. Nicoll went 2-4 with one walk and three RBI. Lyles went 3-5 with 2 RBI and three runs scored. McGinnis went 1-3 with four RBI.
*Jeremy Adorno tossed the first 6.0 innings for the Muleriders where he allowed seven runs on ten hits. Carson cheek worked 1.0 inning in relief of Adorno, allowing one hit on one run in the seventh inning. Santos Sosa wrapped things up, tossing the final 2.0 innings that saw zero runs on two hits.
*The Muleriders responded with a homer of their own in the bottom half of the fourth inning, a solo shot off the bat of Brandon Nicoll. The Muleriders made a larger dent in the Bison lead after Lyles tripled to right field and was plated on a McGinnis sacrifice fly.
*McGinnis cut the Bison lead to just two runs with a zero-out homer to center field that scored Lyles and Allen who had both singled to start the sixth inning. Chris Sutton drew a two-out walk to begin SAU's game-tying rally. Orr singled to third base before Brett McGee drew a walk to load the bases. A Brandon Nicoll single drove home the two-game tying runs.
*Chris Lyles earned Southern Arkansas the win with a walk off two-run home run. The junior hit one past the right field wall to score Allen and himself.
Oklahoma Baptist Notes
*Four Bison recorded multiple hits in game one with Dan Pruitt and Alex Schroeder recording three each.
*Brek Galbreath worked on the mount first for the Bison this afternoon where he tossed 5.2 innings that saw seven runs on eight hits. Jordan Brewer came in for the following 2.2 innings, allowing just two hist and zero runs. Nolan Feazle earned the loss following his 0.1 inning appearance that saw one run on one hit.
*Gabe Irwin got the Bison on the board first this afternoon with a three-RBI home run to right field.
*The Bison saw a one-run fifth inning scored by Pruit who had tripled before being driven home on a Kade Self sacrifice fly.
*OBU added another three runs in the sixth inning. Jose Parga drew a walk in the teams' first plate appearance and was advanced to second on a Irwin single and third on a Brandon Brewer sacrifice bunt. Austin Gonzales flied out to left field, scoring Parga in the process. Isiah Lissade drew a walk before Jayden Shafer singled up the middle to score Irwin and place runners at the corners. Pruitt wrapped up the Bison scoring rally with a one-RBI single to left center.
*The seventh inning saw the Bison take the lead once again. Two Bison batters reached on a walk and a hit by pitch before Gonzales singled to score one.
Game Two
Southern Arkansas Notes
*After not recording a single hit in game one, Chris Sutton went 3-4 with an RBI and Brett McGee went 1-3 with two RBI in game two. Sutton joined Orr, Allen and Richardson in their multi-hit efforts this evening. Both of Will Richardson's hits went for two bags to see all four of his hits on the day as doubles.
*Wyatt Marr started things off for the Muleriders on the mound in game two. The senior tossed 4.1 innings where he allowed one earned run on six hits. Chance Bolter earned the win after his 2.0 relief outing that saw one run on one hit. Isiah Haynes wrapped things up with a 0.2 inning hitless appearance that earned him his conference-leading seventh save.
*Southern Arkansas started game two the same way they'd ended game one- with a two-run home run over the right field wall. After being held hitless in game one, Brett McGee left yard to score Orr who had singles in SAU's first at bat of the contest.
*The Muleriders increased their lead by two more runs in the second. Will Richardson began the inning with a double to right center before Jackson Duke drew a walk. Richardson stole third, putting him in the perfect place to go home on a Chris Sutton single to right field. Riley Orr plated the second run on a sacrifice play that scored Duke.
*Southern Arkansas took the lead back from the bison in the bottom of the fifth where they scored four runs. Conner Allen started things off with a single followed by McGinnis who reached on a hit by pitch. Will Richardson doubled to right center to score the duo before finding his way home soon after. A wild pitch allowed the junior to reach third and the botched throw from the catcher allowed him to score. Back-to-back-to-back walks drawn by Duke, Orr and McGee allowed for the fourth run to be plated when Brandon Nicoll was hit by a pitch.
*Chris Lyles smoked his second homer of the day, this time a solo shot to left field in the bottom of the sixth that represented the final run of the afternoon.
Oklahoma Baptist Notes
*Three arms pitched in for the Bison's effort on the mound. Jake Hamilton was tabbed with the loss following his 4.2 inning start that saw eight runs on nine hits.
*The Bison tied the game a four runs a piece following rally in the third inning. A fielder's choice allowed Jayden Shafer to reach base before a single from Pruitt and walk by Kade Self loaded the bases for an Alex Schroeder sacrifice fly. Jose Parga homered to left field to score the other three runs.
*The Bison left the yard once again in the fifth to score their lead-taking fifth run of the game.
*OBU was able to work away at the Mulerider lead in the seventh after a hit by pitch and three walks forced across the solo run of the inning.
