MAGNOLIA, Ark. - Despite an early 8-0 deficit through two and a half innings, #11/6 Southern Arkansas rallied on Wednesday night from inside Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field, but the effort would come up just short as RV/#28 UT-Tyler claimed the midweek matchup 13-9 as the Patriots pushed across a pair of runs in both the eighth and ninth innings of action to distance themselves from the Muleriders. The loss drops SAU to 27-11 on the season, while UT-Tyler improves to 29-12 in their first nonconference game of the season.
 
The Patriots plated two in the second and added six more in the third to help back the effort of nine different arms. Southern Arkansas used seven pitchers with Jake Uber receiving the highest workload at 4.1 innings which saw him scatter three hits and two walks, while allowing just one run as he faced 19 batters.
 
The Muleriders got on the scoreboard in the home half of the third inning as a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brandon Nicoll plated Chris Sutton to cut into the UT-Tyler advantage. The Patriots earned the run back in the fourth inning on a SAU fielding error to lead 9-1, but the Muleriders responded with four runs in the next half frame as a throwing error on a Jacob Richardson single allowed Chris Lyles to advance an extra base for SAU's second run. Jackson Duke followed with a two-run blast, his first of the season, to pull SAU to within 9-4, while an additional throwing error on a batted ball by Riley Orr chased home Sutton.
 
Trailing 9-5, the Muleriders added a single run in the sixth on an RBI double down the right field line by Brett McGee to pull SAU to within three runs of the deficit at 9-6.
 
UT-Tyler built back its lead in the eighth inning as a fielder's choice and a single each plated a run for the Patriots. Duke doubled down the left field line in the following half inning to pull SAU to within four at 11-7 entering the ninth.
 
The Patriots added two more in the final frame to cushion its lead at six runs, while SAU threatened in the ninth as Conner Allen hammered his sixth home run of the season; a two-run shot that stood as the final scoring tallies for Southern Arkansas in the loss.

The Muleriders outhit UT-Tyler 13-11, but the Patriots took advantage of eight walks and six hit-by-pitch. McGee, Allen, Richardson, Duke and Sutton all recorded two hits. Duke led with three RBI and Sutton scored three times. Over half of SAU's hits went for extra bases.

The Muleriders prepare for the first of its three final regular season GAC series. SAU welcomes in Southwestern Oklahoma State for three league affairs beginning with a Friday doubleheader scheduled for 3 p.m. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.