Muleriders Drop High-Scoring Affair Against Ouachita Baptist

Courtesy Southern Arkansas University Athletics Department

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Wednesday afternoon’s matchup between No. 15 Southern Arkansas and Ouachita Baptist saw no shortage of runs crossing the plate as the two teams combined to score 29 runs with Ouachita Baptist coming away with the non-conference victory by a score of 16-13 at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field.

The Tigers (3-4-1) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning as they platted a pair of runs on two hits off of SAU starting pitcher, Cory Roper. That early lead for the Tigers would not last long as the Muleriders (5-3) vaulted ahead in the bottom of the frame by scoring three runs on a pair of hits to take a 3-2 lead. The big hit in the inning for the Muleriders was a go-ahead, two-RBI single off the bat of Chris Quinn.

SAU would maintain the 3-2 lead over the Tigers until the fourth inning when the Muleriders scored five runs in the inning to swell their lead out to 8-2. Three more runs in the fifth and one more run in the sixth gave the Muleriders a 12-2 lead heading into the seventh inning. 

That inning would be when the Tigers mounted their furious comeback. In the inning, the Tigers scored four runs on two hits to cut the Muleriders’ lead down to 12-6. After holding the Muleriders off the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame, the Tigers completed their comeback with a nine-run top of the eighth inning to take a 15-12 lead.

Both teams would plate a run in the ninth inning to keep the margin between the two at three runs when the game concluded.

Sheldon O’Dell (0-1) was tagged with the loss while Drew Feuerbacher (1-0) earned the win with Keegan Ghidotti (1) collecting his first save of the season.

Offensively, the Muleriders totaled 14 hits and had six players drive in two runs. David Harris was 2-for-4 with a homerun, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Ryan Bell was 3-for-5 with a double, two RBIs, and two runs scored.

The Muleriders will next be in action at home over the coming weekend as they open up Great American Conference play against Southwestern Oklahoma. The three-game series is set to begin on Friday, February 15th at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field. First-pitch is slated for 5:00 p.m.