MAGNOLIA, Ark. – A new season awaits perennial power Southern Arkansas this weekend in the Spa City as the Muleriders are set for a four-game weekend at the Dugan Invitational from Majestic Park's Babe Ruth Field. SAU matches up against quality regional competition which includes several familiar foes of recent seasons as well as the first meeting all-time against a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference foe. The Muleriders, under eighth-year head coach Justin Pettigrew, open the 2024 season against #23/21 Missouri Southern on Thursday at 4 p.m. and will meet Rogers State, Northeastern State and for the first time ever Colorado Mines on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
 
Southern Arkansas (40-18 OVR, 24-9 GAC) is coming off of a 2023 season in which the Muleriders won the program's third-straight Great American Conference regular season title and seventh overall. SAU also claimed the hardware in Springdale winning its second-straight GAC Tournament championship and seventh as a league member. Last spring, the Muleriders appeared in an NCAA regional for the 15^th time in program history and saw its season come to an end against its opening day opponent in Missouri Southern. Southern Arkansas won 40 games a season ago for the 19^th time in program history and it marked the 35th time in program history and the 25th time in 28 NCAA seasons that the club won at least 30 games.
 
Preseason favorites in the GAC for the third-straight season and for the tenth time overall, the Muleriders are highlighted by the return of National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason Second Team All-American Brandon Nicoll (.355, 82 H, 20 2B, 11 HR, 69 RBI, '23 GAC All-Tournament Team) as well as NCBWA Preseason All-Central Region starting pitcher Jeremy Adorno (8-4 W/L, 4.20 ERA, 109.1 IP, 123 K, .221 OPP BA). 2023 GAC Newcomer of the Year Mikel Howell (8-2 W/L, 3.13 ERA, 89.0 IP, 79 K, .236 OPP BA) joins Adorno (2023 All-GAC First Team) as starting pitchers back for Pettigrew in 2024, while four other starting position players from a season ago join Nicoll (2023 All-GAC First Team).
 
Seniors Chris Lyles (59 H, 54 R, 18 2B, 14 SB, '22 GAC Tournament MVP, 2023 GAC All-Defensive Team), Chris Sutton (56 H, 54 R, 45 RBI, 19 HBP, 8 SB), Will Richardson (.346, 72 H, 20 2B, 53 RBI), juniors Mikey McGinnis (36 H, 34 R, 32 RBI) and Jackson Duke (34 H, 24 R) along with junior reliever Jake Uber (16 APP, 17 K, 24.2 IP, 3.28 ERA, .216 OPP BA), senior reliever Chance Bolter (17 APP, 34.0 IP, 21 K) and one of the nation's top closers in senior Isaiah Haynes (1.65 ERA, 13 SV, 15 K, .186 OPP BA; 2023 All-GAC First Team) all return for Southern Arkansas.
 
The Muleriders expect immediate impact from several new faces including Trace Shoup (OF, SouthArk CC), Grant Roosma (C, Navarro College), Jaden Woolbright (INF/P, SAU Tech), Tim Ruffino (P, Coppin State), Sean Sieve (P, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi) and Austin Adair (P, Cisco College) among others in a loaded recruiting class.
 
#23/21 Missouri Southern | Thursday, Feb. 1; 4 p.m.
2023 Record: 45-17, 25-8 MIAA (2^nd)
2024 MIAA Preseason #2; 1 first-place vote
11^th meeting, SAU leads series 7-3
Last meeting: May 20, 2023, Central Region Tournament; MSSU 11-4
 
*Won the second-most games in a single season in program history last spring
*Made ninth regional appearance overall and first since 2019
*MSSU returns nearly 30 players from last year's team including 15 pitchers
*Returning for the Lions in '24 are All-American Nate Mieszkowski (.374 average, 19 doubles, 14 home runs and 66 RBI), All-Region shortstop Henry Kusiak (.313 average, 18 2B, 13 HR, 58 RBI), All-MIAA pick Treghan Parker (.329, 13 2B, 18 HR, 62 RBI) and MIAA Freshman of the Year Ethan Clark (.372, 17 2B, 65 RBI)
 
Rogers State | Friday, Feb. 2; 1 p.m.
2023 Record: 26-22, 14-19 MIAA (T7^th)
2024 MIAA Preseason #7
2^nd meeting, RSU leads series 1-0
Last meeting: Feb. 6, 2023, Dugan Invitational; RSU 4-2
 
*Six position starters and three starting pitchers return for the Hillcats including All-MIAA outfielder AJ Folds (.351, 15 2B, 19 RBI, 15 SB), utility player Geovanni Blackshaw (.336, 3 HR, 21 RBI) and outfielder Carson Cheatwood who hit for a .269 average as a freshman
*Octavio Sanchez returns following a 2023 with a 3-0 record with 8 saves and a 2.66 ERA in 20.1 innings pitched, while Andres De Leon made 11 pitching appearance including 9 starts last spring posting a 2-4 record and 36 Ks in 43 innings
 
Northeastern State | Saturday, Feb. 3; 4 p.m.
2023 Record: 25-28, 15-18 MIAA (6^th)
2024 MIAA Preseason #6
5^th meeting, NSU leads series 3-1
Last meeting: Feb. 5, 2023, Dugan Invitational; SAU 3-2
 
*Former East Central head coach Sunny Golloway (752-427-1 all-time) takes over the Riverhawk program which made an NCAA regional for the first time in 2022.
*Golloway led Auburn for two seasons, Oklahoma for eight seasons and has seven NCAA DI regional berths, four NCAA DI Super Regional berths and a 2010 appearance in Omaha
*All-MIAA designated hitter Coby Tweten (.356, 9 HR, 39 RBI) returns for the Riverhawks as does third baseman/relief pitcher Ty Van Meter (.284, 7 HR, 31 RBI) who was honorable mention All-MIAA and first baseman C.D. White (.337, 9 HR, 34 RBI) who was named to the 2022 Dugan Invitational All-Tournament Team
 
Colorado School of Mines | Sunday, Feb. 4; 10 a.m.
2023 Record: 22-25, 17-15 RMAC (T4^th)
2024 RMAC Preseason #4
First meeting all-time between the two programs
 
*Twenty-two players, including seven starting position players and three starting pitchers, are back for the Orediggers in 2024
*2023 RMAC Freshman of the Year Jackson Woolwine (.366, 54 R, 64 H, 38 RBI), outfielder Mason Andrews (.356, 52 R, 50 RBI, 15 2B, 10 HR), honorable mention All-RMAC shortstop I-Ly Hsue (.328, 38 R, 22 RBI, 9 2B, 4 HR) and utility player Luke Folsom (.243, 23 R, 27 H, 25 RBI, 5 2B, 3 HR) highlight the experience for Mines entering the season
*The Muleriders match up against a member of the RMAC for the first time since February 2, 2020; an 8-6 come-from-behind victory over Colorado Christian at the Alpine Fresh 4HIM Classic
 
Opponent information provided by Troy Mitchell, Assistant Director of Majestic Park for Media and Game/Tournament Operations
 
Fans can follow the action live through live stats via www.MuleriderAthletics.com and through a pay-per-view stream at www.livebarn.com by searching for "Majestic Park" under the "Venue" tab. Fans can receive a discount by entering the promotion code "maje-stic." Dugan Invitational games will be available for viewing at the Babe Ruth Field link.
 
Tickets are $8 per day for fans 13 and older, $5 for fans ages 6 to 12 and free for fans five and under. Tickets can be purchased at the gate on gameday.