MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas Baseball squad wrapped up their weekend series with Oklahoma Baptist with a 14-12 win to complete the sweep and improve to 14-4 in conference play. The weekend victory represents their third sweep of the season and holds the Muleriders at second place in the Great American Conference.
Southern Arkansas Notes
*Will Richardson concluded the weekend with a 1.364 slugging percentage, going 7-11 (0.636) with a single, five doubles and a home run. Chris Lyles posted an equally impressive 1.308 slugging percentage on the weekend, batting 0.462 (6-13) with two singles, a triple and three home runs.
*Richardson accounted for half of the team's RBI after going 3-5 with a double, triple and a walk. Riley Orr, Brett McGee and Lyles all recorded two-hit days to add to the Muleriders 13 hit day.
*Mikel Howell found himself in a sticky situation in the first inning after letting up a first at bat hit before walking the next batter. The duo stole a base each to place themselves in scoring position, but Howell shut things down quick. The junior proceeded to strike out the three following batters and avoid the early deficit. Howell tossed the opening 2.1 innings where he allowed two runs on one hit and three walks. Jack Liddell worked 2.2 innings in relief where he allowed a single earned run on four hits. Hayden Hable came in for 0.1 innings that saw four runs on two hits. Jake Uber tossed a dominant 2.2 innings that saw one run on a solo hit while striking out two. Haynes added to his conference-leading saves, earning his eighth after his ninth inning appearance that left the Bison hitless.
*Southern Arkansas got on base often and got on base early this afternoon. Southern Arkansas took advantage of three consecutive hit by pitches to plate the first run of the contest. Riley Orr doubled in the Muleriders' first at bat of the day before Brandon Nicoll, Conner Allen and Mikey McGinnis were all hit by Ryan Turbeville. The third HPB drove home Orr to represent the first two-out run in the inning. All three Muleriders that were hit were plated on a double off the bat of Will Richardson. Richardson's fifth hit of the weekend represented his fifth double to settle the Junior with a 1.25 slugging percentage on the weekend through the first inning of game three.
*Chris Sutton knocked the Muleriders' third hit of the day in SAU's first AB of the second inning, a double to left field. Riley Orr drew a walk and Brett McGee followed with a double to left field that plated the fifth Mulerider run of the inning. With McGee's double, all four Southern Arkansas hits at the time had gone for two bags. Riley Orr scored SAU's second run of the inning on a passed ball.
*The Muleriders reclaimed the lead once again in the fourth inning. Brett McGee started things off with a walk before advancing to second on a Brandon Nicoll single. Chris Lyles sent the lead-taking run home on a single to right center. McGinnis drew a walk to load the bases for Southern Arkansas with zero outs. A wild pitch allowed Brandon Nicoll to score the second run of the inning. Richardson drew a walk to load the bases once again for a Jackson Duke RBI single that scored the third and final run of the inning.
*Southern Arkansas worked away at the Bison lead in the sixth inning, responding to OBU's 4-run top of thing inning with one run in the bottom. Chris Lyles was plated on a wild pitch after reaching on a hit by pitch to start the inning and advancing to third on a hit and fielder's choice.
*Conner Allen saved what could have been a detrimental play for the Muleriders in the top of the eighth inning. With runners on first and second, the Bison smoked a ball to left field that would have served as a 2-RBI double had Allen not made a nearly impossible snag to end the inning.
*Lyles smoked a solo homer, his second of the weekend, to left field in SAU's first at bat of the eighth inning. Zach Rennard was hit by a pitch to set up a 2-run home run from Will Richardson that allowed SAU to take the lead. Chris Sutton followed by drawing a walk and was quickly advanced to third on a double off the bat of Riley Orr. The duo advanced a base each, scoring SAU's fourth run of the inning on a wild pitch.
Oklahoma Baptist Notes
*Ryan Turbeville started on the mound for the Bison. He allowed five earned runs on five hits, walked two and hit three in his 2.2 innings. Garrett Kellogg-Clark followed with a 1.1 inning appearance that saw three runs on three hits. Roy Peguero allowed two runs on six hits in his 3.0 innings of work. Diego Chavez tossed the final 1.0 inning for the Bison. His outing saw the final two runs of the day on two hits and one walk.
*Austin Gonzales drew a walk to start the third inning before advancing to third on a fielding error by McGinnis that allowed Lissade to reach safely. Jayden Shafer grounded out but scored Gonzales in the process to get his team on the board. Dan Pruitt drew a walk and Kade Self was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Alex Schroeder doubled down the left field line to plate two and cut the Mulerider lead to three runs. The Bison added on their fourth run of the inning on a groundout that scored Self before Rafael Gutierrez tied the game up with a two-run homer to left center.
*Schroeder notched his third RBI of the afternoon with a solo shot to left field in the fifth inning.
*OBU added another four runs in the sixth inning. Gonzalez represented the first base runner after being hit by a pitch. Shafer drew a walk to advance Gonzales to second, setting him up to go home on a single off the bat of Pruitt. The Bison regained the lead on a three-run homer to left center from Self.
*The Bison added another run to their lead in the eighth inning Lissade singled to begin the inning. Shafer was hit by a pitch before the base running duo advanced to scoring position on a Pruitt groundout. Self followed with another groundout, this one plating the Bison's 12th run.
The Muleriders will return to action on Tuesday, March 28 for a midweek game against Delta State. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. Live coverage links will be available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
