HOUSTON, Texas (Feb. 17, 2017) --
Justin Graff-Rowe delivered a bases-clearing double in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie and send the Mules to an 8-4 come-from-behind win over Arkansas-Fort Smith in their Houston Winter Invitational opener on Friday night at Minute Maid Park. The Mules trailed 3-2 and 4-3 during the game, but rallied each time for the win.
The Mules (5-2) struck first, scoring twice in the bottom of the first inning to grab the early lead.
Collin Nevil brought home Graff-Rowe with a two-out single and came around to score on
Erik Webb's triple to the gap in right center.
Arkansas-Fort Smith (5-3) plated a run in the second when Dylan Hurt was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Lions still had the bags loaded with only one out, but Drew Duncan grounded into a 6-3 double play to end the threat.
Jace Pitchford's RBI fielder's choice in the third tied the game and Anthony Seminaris added an RBI double to put UAFS in front 3-2. The Mules tied the game in the home half of the inning when Nevil doubled with two outs and scored on Webb's RBI single to left.
Arkansas-Fort Smith went back in front 4-3 in the fifth on Nick Yoning's RBI sacrifice bunt, but heads up base running by
Elijah Dilday in the seventh drew UCM even at 4-4. Dilday reached on a fielder's choice, went to second on a single, then stole third and scored when the throw got away from the third baseman and trickled in to left field.
The Mules put two runners on in the eighth with one-out singles from
Blake Wilfong and
Travis Able. A walk to
Jackson Schnurbusch loaded the bases and set things up for Graff-Rowe. He roped an 0-1 pitch down into the left field corner scoring all three runs and putting the Mules in front for good. Following a pitching change, Dilday laced a ball down the line in right for a run-scoring double to plate Graff-Rowe and UCM led 8-4.
Luke Mercer (1-0) picked up the win in relief for UCM tossing 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.
Andy Muehlberger finished things off for UCM, allowing one-hit in the ninth.
Korbin Polly (0-1) took the loss for the Lions after allowing four runs on three hits in just one-third of an inning.
The Mules out-hit Arkansas-Fort Smith 15-9 in the game as Graff-Rowe and Nevil each finished the day 3-for-5. Dilday, Webb, Wilfong and Able all finished with two hits apiece as well.
The Mules continue play at the Winter Invitational on Saturday at 2 p.m. against Tarleton State, a 9-6 winner earlier in the day against St. Mary's (Texas).
