RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - Southern Arkansas struck for five-first inning runs behind home runs from
Brandon Nicoll,
Mikey McGinnis and
Trace Shoup, but the Muleriders would be unable to hold onto that advantage on Tuesday afternoon as Arkansas Tech bested SAU 10-6 in midweek action from Baswell Field. The Wonder Boys answered with four runs in the bottom of the first and then produced three-run frames in the fifth and seventh innings to snap a four-game losing streak to the Muleriders.
SAU (8-3) finished with six runs on seven hits, but committed four errors. In the first inning alone, the Muleriders recorded over half of their hits in the loss with
Chris Sutton's lead-off single the lone non-homer for SAU in the frame.
In the second,
Will Richardson flew out to score
Carter Claerhout. Prior to that contact, Nicoll recorded the second non-homer for the Muleriders in the contest. For the game, SAU left runners on base in the first two innings as well as in the fourth inning. Singles by
Chris Lyles and Shoup in the fifth and sixth, respectively, rounded out base knocks for the Muleriders in the game.
SAU used six arms in the loss with
Stetson Bishop opening the first 2.1 innings striking out three while scattering four hits and one walk. Four runs, none of which were earned, crossed against Bishop as a pair of throwing errors allowed the Wonder Boys to climb back from the early deficit.
Hunter Belton surrendered three runs on three hits in 1.2 innings.
Nate June matched Bishop in innings pitched and allowed just one hit, a walk and an unearned run.
Chance Bolter,
Jaden Woolbright and
Treshon Paschal combined for final 1.2 innings.
A hit-by-pitch and back-to-back doubles, with the first scoring a run, jumpstarted the three-run, lead-gaining fifth for the Wonder Boys. A Nick Jones RBI groundout tied the game at 6 and fly out from Keaton Ranallo gave Tech the lead at 7-6. A two-error seventh led to three more Tech runs.
Nicoll and McGinnis accounted for four of SAU's six RBI. Nicoll and Shoup recorded four of the Muleriders' seven hits.
Southern Arkansas prepares for a three-game Great American Conference series at East Central. Friday's opener is set for 2 p.m. Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for a noon first pitch. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.