Tweet #theGAC  MAGNOLIA, Ark. – A four-run top of the first inning put the top-seeded Southern Arkansas baseball team in an early hole. However, it was not an insurmountable deficit as the Muleriders kept the game within reach in the middle innings, and then rallied in the late going; eventually walking-off in the bottom of the ninth to take game one of the best-of-three series against No. 8-seed Ouachita on Friday night at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field.

Ouachita jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead as they scored four runs on four hits in the top of the first inning off of SAU starter Conner Wells.

After keeping the Tigers off the board in the second and third innings, SAU pushed across their first run of the game in the bottom of third on a sacrifice fly from Mark Fontenot In the top of the fifth, Ouachita regained a four-run lead as they scored an unearned run on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt with no outs. That was the only run that the Tigers could cash in, however, as reliever George Eubanks got the final two outs on strikeouts to escape the inning.

A scoreless sixth gave way to the seventh and the Muleriders hung another zero in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the frame, SAU began to get their bats rolling. Trevor Rucker led off that inning with an inside-the-park home run out to left field to make it 5-2, Ouachita. Fontenot then followed with a double to left-centerfield. A wild pitch advanced Fontenot to third and moments later, he scored on a wild pitch to make it a 5-3 game.

A walk to Jacob Richardson was followed by a pair of strikeouts, but consecutive hit-by-pitches taken by Cory Gallegos and Josey Langston loaded the bases for Michael Page, who served a single just over the out-stretched glove of the Tigers' shortstop to score Richardson. On that play, Gallegos was thrown out at the plate to keep Ouachita in the lead, 5-4.

In the top of the eighth, Jacob Stroder came on in relief and walked the first man he faced, who then got to second on a passed ball. Stroder, however, shut the door from there, striking out the next three batters to get out of the jam.

Blake Hall then led off the bottom of the eighth with a single through the left side. Rucker reached base next as he was beaned. Fontenot then attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt and on that play, the Tigers' third baseman threw the ball away, allowing Hall to score the tying run while also putting two runners in scoring position with the potential go-ahead run at third with less than two outs.

The Tigers were able to escape that jam, however, as the game remained tied going into the ninth. In that ninth inning, Makenzy Larsen carved up the middle of the Ouachita lineup as he retired the side in order. In the bottom of the frame, Gallegos drew a full-count walk to lead off. Langston then drew a four-pitch walk to push Gallegos into scoring position.

A successful sacrifice bunt by Page followed to set up the situation from the eighth inning; two runners in scoring position with less than two outs. This time, the Muleriders cashed in as Hall, on a 0-2 pitch, hammered a single to left-center field, scoring Gallegos as the winning run.

Conner Wells started for SAU and pitched 2.0 innings before the bullpen took over. In his time on the mound, Wells allowed four runs on four hits.

George Eubanks was the first out of the 'pen and he was tremendous in settling the game down and helping set the stage for the late-game heroics. Eubanks would pitch 5.0 innings and allowed just one unearned run on two hits while striking out three. After Eubanks, Jacob Stroder came on for the eighth and the junior right-hander struck out the side.

In the ninth, Makenzy Larsen made quick work of the Tigers, using just 15 pitches to notch a pair of strike outs and induce a ground ball as he was perfect in the frame

SAU out-hit the Tigers, 11-6, with a majority of those hits coming late in the game. Over the final four innings, the Muleriders piled up eight hits and plated five runs to aid the comeback effort.

Four Muleriders had multiple hits in the game with Blake Hall, James Trevanion, Josey Langston, and Michael Page all having two hits

SAU had a pair of extra-base hits in the form of a Mark Fontenot double and an inside-the-park home run by Trevor Rucker.

The Muleriders and Tigers will play the second game of the series on Saturday afternoon beginning at 2 p.m. An "if necessary" game would follow about 30 minutes after.