WEATHERFORD, Okla. – SWOSU Baseball took the No. 4-ranked Southern Arkansas Muleriders to extra innings in the series finale on Monday afternoon but fell 14-10 in 10 innings after running out of juice.
It was an afternoon of scoring runs in Weatherford. The Bulldogs plated the game's first five runs, using a three-run first inning and a two-run third to jump out to a 5-0 lead.
Enzo Bonventre doubled in a run in the opening inning, before hitting his first home run of the season – a two-run shot down the left field line in the third.
SAU answered by scoring four runs in the fourth, two in the fifth to take the lead on a costly Bulldog error with two outs, and three more in the sixth on back-to-back homeruns.
After sixth complete innings, SWOSU trailed 9-6. Another solo home run by the Muleriders added insurance in the eighth before the Dawgs made one final push at the deficit.
Two-straight doubles from Miguel Soto and Tylor Richey following an Alex Rice single and Bonventre walk plated three runs, and Richey tied the game back up at 10-10 with aggressive baserunning when he tagged up from second on a flyball and forced a wild throw from the outfield that allowed him to advance to home easily.
Both teams went scoreless in the ninth, but SAU was able to break the game open with four runs and four hits in the 10th inning that secured the result.
Soto had a great day at the dish, racking up four hits while driving in and scoring two runs each. Bonventre, Richey, and Jean Ortiz all had two hits apiece.
Chase Hamilton picked up the loss on the mound after entering in the 10th inning and conceding the lead. Phillip Sanders started on the bump for SWOSU and pitched 3.1 innings before giving way to the bullpen. Of the four relivers who saw action, Matt Hopkins had the most successful outing. He pitched 1.1 innings in the eighth and ninth innings and did not allow a run.
SWOSU falls to 2-4 in Great American Conference play and will look to rebound next weekend at Oklahoma Baptist in more league action. They will also host Cameron at 2pm tomorrow (Tuesday) in a single nine inning non-conference game.
