Box Score (html)
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – After relinquishing a three-run lead in the bottom of the ninth inning, the SWOSU Baseball team rallied for two runs in the top of the tenth inning to pick up a 7-5 victory over Southern Arkansas in the first game of a Great American Conference series on Friday afternoon.
Jon Chidester dealt a terrific game from the hill, going 6.1 innings while allowing just four hits and two runs while striking out 13 batters, the most by a Bulldog pitcher since Jonathon Johnson had 12 strikeouts against Southeastern (April 8, 2014) last season. Chidester's efforts on the hill allowed the Bulldogs to build a 3-2 lead after seven innings.
CJ Faddis doubled down the left field line to start the fifth inning, one that ended with three runs on two hits by the Bulldogs. Faddis scored on a fielder's choice from
Bryan Holt before SAU errors allowed the Bulldogs to load the bases for
Korbin Polston, who brought in
Cole Wagner with a sacrifice fly while
Dalton Daniels scored on another error by SAU.
With Chidester out of the game,
Taylor Weifenbach took to the mound and held the lead until
Ethan Davis was called upon for the final out of the eighth inning. SWOSU again turned the misfortune of Southern Arkansas into runs after
Nolan Barrientos reached by an error and his pinch runner,
Greg Bruno, and
Haden Houska both scored when the Muleriders catcher fired a return throw past his pitcher and shortstop and into centerfield, leaving the Bulldogs with a 5-2 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Misfortune then hit the Bulldogs in the bottom of the ninth as
Zach Barton, inserted into the game defensively for the inning, muffed a throw from
Dalton Daniels and three hits later the Bulldogs found themselves tied at 5-5 and heading to extra innings.
SWOSU quickly bounced back in the 10th with Holt reaching on a single and
Korbin Polston walking, allowing Holt to move to third on a wild pitch. During
Jacob Spring's at-bat, Holt would score the go-ahead run on a passed ball before Polston came around on an RBI single from Barton. This time, SWOSU would have no issues closing the door on SAU as Davis sat the Muleriders down in order in the 10th to wrap up the victory.
Davis earned the victory, improving to 2-0 on the year after 2.1 innings of work that allowed two hits and three unearned runs. He struck out two batters while Weifenbach had one, giving the Bulldogs staff 16 strikeouts for the game.
"I'm very proud of this team and their effort today, earning a gutsy road victory," SWOSU Coach
Zack Saunders said following the game. "We showed a lot of character today to extend our lead and even more to give it back in the ninth and still be able to respond in the top of the tenth inning."
SWOSU finished with seven hits in the game with seven different players recording one apiece. Holt and Faddis both extended streaks for reaching base to nine games, the longest such streak by a Bulldog this season.
The victory improves SWOSU to 5-9 (3-4 GAC) on the year heading into Saturday's noon doubleheader that will conclude the three-game GAC series.
