MAGNOLIA, Ark. (Feb. 12, 2016) -- Mules Baseball was two outs away from getting a sweep of two in-region games on Friday afternoon, but 14th-ranked Southern Arkansas rallied for a 4-3 walk-off win in the second game of the day. In the opener, the Mules rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat Oklahoma Christian 7-4.
Against OC (3-2),
Tyler House (1-0) tossed 5.1 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits to earn his first win of the season.
Lucas Williams pitched the final 3.2 innings, giving up one run on two hits with five strikeouts to earn his first save of the year.
The Eagles jumped in front 1-0 in the bottom of the first on Kyle Lacy's RBI single to right. The Mules (1-4) tied the game in the top of th second when
Bennett Oliver scored on a throwing error. Oklahoma Christian went right back in front in the bottom half of the inning with on an RBI double from Austin Orth and Chase Kuwitzky's sacrifice fly.
The Mules jumped in front in the fourth, scoring three runs on three hits to grab a 4-3 lead. All three of the runs were scored with two outs.
Colton Hilbrenner had an RBI single to plate the first run and
Derek Cornell doubled home the next two to put UCM in front for good.
The Mules plated a run in the seventh when Oliver went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error by the catcher. The Eagles pulled within 6-4 on Lacy's lead off home run in the eighth, but
Matt Elliott scored on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth to give the Mules the 7-4 edge.
Jared Sterling (0-1) took the loss for Oklahoma Christian after allowing five runs on four hits over four innings.
In the second game of the day the Mules grabbed an early 1-0 lead on
Jackson Schnurbusch's RBI double in the second inning. The lead grew to 3-0 in the fifth when
Jake Alexander belted a two-run home run to right field.
The three-run cushion looked like it might hold up behind the strong pitching peformance of
Ethan Westphal. The Muleriders (4-2) finally broke through against Westphal in the seventh for two runs on David LaFleur's home run to left center field. The Mules took that 3-2 lead in to the bottom of the ninth. Zach Silvers led off with a single and following a foul out by Keaton Miller, Billy Germaine belted a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left to give SAU the walk-off win.
Westphal (0-1) was the tough-luck loser after tossing 8.1 solid innings. He scattered seven hits and gave up four runs while striking out 11 and not walking anyone. Makenzy Larsen (1-0) earned the win in relief for the Muleriders after tossing one inning of relief. Starter Landon Simpson went seven innings allowing three runs on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
The Mules wrap up their trip to Arkansas on Saturday at noon when they take on Central Oklahoma.
