Box Score ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Senior
Chris Lyles homered to tie Saturday's Great American Conference finale at Ouachita at 3-3,
Carter Claerhout singled with two outs to plate the go-ahead run in the tenth inning and
Mikey McGinnis provided a pair of insurance runs with an ensuing single as the Muleriders completed the league sweep of the Tigers with a 6-3 win in ten innings from Rab Rodgers Field.
Southern Arkansas (22-11, 15-6 GAC) turned to
Isaiah Haynes with two outs in the eighth and the senior faced two over the minimum and finished as the pitcher of record allowing just one hit with four strikeouts. Haynes struck out three of the first four batters he faced and worked around a single and a walk in the tenth inning before retiring Dustin Bermudez via K on the 12
th pitch of the at bat and getting G. Allen to fly out to end the game.
Tim Ruffino fired six innings with a go-ahead three-run Ouachita homer in the sixth the lone blemish as he faced just four over the minimum.
Sean Sieve threw 1.2 innings with two strikeouts.
SAU opened scoring in the fourth inning on a pair of Ouachita errors as
Grant Roosma scored on a muffed throw by the catcher on a
Jaden Woolbright fielder's choice. Woolbright would score on a throwing error by the catcher following a dropped third strike in
Trace Shoup's ensuing at bat.
Ouachita responded with two outs in the sixth as a three-run blast off the bat of Wesley Scott gave the Tigers a lead that would be short lived as Lyles exited the yard in left field moments later as the leadoff batter for the Muleriders in the pre-stretch seventh. The homer was the third of the year for Lyles and tied the game at 3-3 against Ouachita reliever Cameron Marchant.
Woolbright singled with two outs in the tenth, stole second and Shoup walked to put runners at first and second for Claerhout who welcomed new Tiger arm Braden Tucker with single up the middle on the second pitch he saw to plate Woolbright. Hayden Childers took over for Tucker and was greeted by McGinnis who on a 2-2 pitch sent contact into center field to chase home Shoup and Claerhout.
Woolbright scored two runs to lead SAU. McGinnis led with two RBI as the finale featured a filled in box score with a SAU line of 6-5-3 and a Ouachita line of 3-4-4.
The Muleriders play host to Arkansas-Monticello in midweek action on Tuesday, April 2. First pitch against the Weevils is set for 6 p.m. Live coverage links are available at
www.MuleriderAthletics.com.