Storm Drops Series Opener at SAU

MAGNOLIA, ARK. – Southeastern opened Great American Conference play on Sunday night with a 7-3 road loss at Southern Arkansas in Magnolia, Ark.
 
The loss drops the Savage Storm to 3-5 to open the season and 0-1 in GAC play with a double-header slated for noon on Monday afternoon.
 
Easton Elliott, Austin Ferguson, Brett Akins, and Cade Clay each collected a hit, with Ferguson driving in two and Clay plating one with a solo homer.
 
Cody Nitson got the start and tossed 5.0 innings, taking the loss after allowing three runs on two hits with four strikeouts.
 
Hayden Grimes tossed two-third of an inning in relief and was tagged for three runs on two hits while striking out two.
 
Scott Brinkley came on for two-third of an inning as well and allowed a run on a hit before Jonny Mireles and Tiler Fletcher each came on to face a single hitter.
 
Jake Patterson would finish out the game with 1.2 hitless innings with two strikeouts.
 
SAU took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second thanks to a pair of solo home runs.
 
Clay returned the favor in the top of the fourth with a solo shot of his own to cut the deficit in half at 2-1.
 
The Muleriders would get back on the board in the fifth with an RBI sac fly before stretching it to 6-1 with three runs in the sixth.
 
Ferguson would cut the deficit down with a two-run double in the top of the seventh to plate Elliott and Bryce Deatherage and close it to 6-3.
 
However, SAU would add a run in the bottom of the seventh to make it 7-3 which would hold to be the final.