ENID, Okla. – The Southern Arkansas University Muleriders (31-21, 22-11) fell to the University of Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevils (32-20, 21-12) by a final score of 18-7.
 
The Muleriders got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning after Josh Phillips was able to hold the Boll Weevils off the board in the top of the frame despite some early traffic on the base paths. The bottom of the inning was led off by a Clay Burrows single into center field. Burrows then scampered to second base on a wild pitch and Lee Matsuzaki drew a walk to put some early pressure on UAM. After a loud lineout for Brandon Nicoll, Jayden Hill stepped to the plate and singled to right field as Burrows scored giving the Blue and Gold a 1-0 lead. UAM escaped the inning but not without SAU striking first.
 
The Boll Weevils then responded in the top of the second inning by plating a run and knotting the game 1-1. The bottom of the second saw more action for the Muleriders as back-to-back singles from Carter Claerhout and Grant Roosma to lead off the inning applied early pressure for the Muleriders. Josh Phillips then flew out to right field as Claerhout advanced to third. Jaden Woolbright then stepped to the plate and grounded out to short allowing Claerhout to score as the Muleriders retook the lead, 2-1. UAM then answered again in the top of the third inning with a run to tie the game at 2-2 after two and a half innings.
 
The big blow for the Boll Weevils came in the top of the fifth inning as they plated nine runs to take an 11-2 lead. UAM then scored another two runs in the top of the sixth inning to extend their lead, 13-2. The Muleriders then started to chip away in the bottom of the sixth inning as Grant Roosma crushed a two-run home run to right field, 13-4. Clay Burrows then came to the plate with two outs in the inning and crushed a home run of his own down the right field line, 13-5. After six complete innings, UAM led 13-5.
 
The Boll Weevils then tacked on one run in the seventh and four runs in the eighth to take a commanding 18-5 lead. The Muleriders attempted to start a rally in the bottom of the eighth inning and plated two runs as Lee Matsuzaki singled up the middle to score Grant Roosma and Clay Burrows who walked and singled respectively earlier in the inning, 18-7. Despite their best efforts, the Muleriders GAC tournament run came to and end with the loss and now look forward to the NCAA Regionals.
 
Top Performers
Clay Burrows: 3-for-5, three runs scored, one RBI, home run
Jayden Hill: 3-for-3, one RBI
Carter Claerhout: 2-for-4, two runs scored
Grant Roosma: 2-for-3, two RBIs, two runs scored, home run
Josh Phillips: four innings pitched, three earned runs, two strikeouts
 
Next Up
The Muleriders will now look ahead to the NCAA Regionals which will take place two weeks from now.