MAGNOLIA, Ark. – #12/10 Southern Arkansas Muleriders (33-13, 23-7 GAC) will play host to Arkansas-Monticello (29-18, 18-12 GAC) this weekend. Due to potential inclement weather the weekend series will start with a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Friday followed by a 3 p.m. series finale on Sunday. Seniors will be honored prior to first pitch. Live coverage links are available at
http://www.muleriderathletics.com/.
SAU comes off a mid-week game against #24 UT-Tyler where the Muleriders won 14-11 in a dramatic finish. The Muleriders look to secure the top seed and the Great American Conference regular season title in the last weekend of the regular season before GAC postseason play begins on May 5th. SAU is 76-28 all time against Arkansas-Monticello and 42-12 at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field. SAU played at UAM in a non-conference mid-week game this season and won 17-4.
Brandon Nicoll had two homeruns and five RBI.
Riley Orr continues to lead the Muleriders with a .378 batting average and on base percentage of .513, the highest in Orr's six years as a Mulerider. The recently named Auburn Smith Male Athlete of the Year,
Brett McGee leads the Muleriders in RBIs, homeruns, OPS, and runs scored. Orr, Nicoll,
Will Richardson, and
Conner Allen are all batting above .300 for the season.
On the mound,
Mikel Howell leads the SAU pitching staff with a 2.98 ERA with a 5-1 record.
Jeremy Adorno is 7-2 for the season and comes into the weekend with 99 strikeouts. He has an ERA of 3.51 and has pitched 82.0 innings.
Isaiah Haynes is one save away from tying the program record of saves in a single season.
Seniors being honored on Sunday include
Conner Allen,
Jack Liddell,
Wyatt Marr,
Brett McGee,
Riley Orr, and
Maddux Solomon.
Arkansas-Monticello comes to Magnolia after a 10-3 mid-week win over Mississippi College. The Weevils are currently fifth in GAC standings and have secured a spot in GAC post season play.
Cade Cancilla leads the Weevils in batting average with a .358 and Kirk Woolf, Chaz Poppy, and Cade Thompson are all batting north of .300. Mason Philley (3.61 ERA) and Connor Irvine (4.9 ERA) both have 7-4 records for the season. Philley has pitched 77.1 innings and has 113 strikeouts. Derek Potts was named GAC Pitcher of the Week after a series against Southwestern Oklahoma where he recorded seven strikeouts against three walks.
