HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Junior left-hander Tim Ruffino tossed four strong innings of two-hit baseball, allowing a single run, while fanning seven and his offensive offered more than enough run support as #17/16 Southern Arkansas exploded again at the plate to dismiss Northeastern State 19-2 in a rain-shortened contest (five innings) on Saturday evening at the Dugan Invitational from Majestic Park's Babe Ruth Field.

Ruffino (1-0) struck out the side to start the first, added another strikeout in the second which ended with senior Chris Lyles throwing out a base runner at the plate and K'd two more batters in the third as the former's debut was impressive. Junior Micah Burke tossed the fifth with two strikeouts. NSU's two runs came as a result of leadoff solo home runs in the fourth and fifth frames.

It did not matter how the Muleriders touched the base paths on Saturday; SAU produced as many doubles (5) as hit-by-pitch in addition to drawing nine walks, it usually resulted in runs. Southern Arkansas scored five runs in the first inning on the production of two-run doubles from senior Will Richardson and junior Jaden Woolbright and an RBI-single by redshirt sophomore Peyton Ballard.

An error chased home the sixth run and another two-run double, this time from the bat of junior Brandon Nicoll, put the Muleriders up comfortably at 8-0 through three. A bases-clearing double by Sutton in the fourth which was followed by Nicoll's second two-run double of the evening made it 13-1 SAU, before Lyles walked in a run and fielding error plated run No. 17.

In the fifth, junior Tyler Abrego doubled and scored on a two-run blast off the bat of junior Josh Phillips.
Ballard, Nicoll and Richardson all recorded two hits and along with Sutton and Lyles, each scored twice. Junior Grant Roosma scored three times. Nicoll led with four RBI, Sutton added three and Richardson, Phillips and Woolbright accounted for two each. Lyles walked three times, Roosma twice and four other Muleriders worked one free pass.

The Muleriders return to Majestic Park on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. to close out opening weekend play at the Dugan Invitational. Southern Arkansas meets Colorado Mines for the first time in program history. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.