MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas University Muleriders (29-17, 21-9) are set to host the University of Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevils (28-18, 19-11) for their regular season finale at home in Walker Stadium.
This weekend comes with some serious implications as both teams are fighting for seeding going into next week’s Great American Conference Tournament. The Boll Weevils currently sit in fourth place going into the last weekend of play but are only two games back from conference leading SAU and Harding. The Muleriders will look to collect some huge wins this weekend as Harding (T1) and Arkansas Tech (3) also play. The Wonder Boys are only half a game out of first place as they enter the last weekend of play.
Series History
The Muleriders currently hold a 79-34-1 all-time series lead over the Boll Weevils, but have fallen in their last three meetings against UAM. The two teams first met on March 12th, 1991, with a 7-3 SAU win. The most recent meeting between the teams came earlier this season in Monticello which saw a 10-5 Boll Weevil win.
A Look at SAU
The Muleriders come into the weekend needing to match what Harding does in order to stay at the top of the GAC standings heading into the tournament. However, any combination of two SAU wins and two Harding losses will lead to the Muleriders claiming the outright GAC regular season championship. The Blue and Gold are coming off a tough midweek loss to Ouachita Baptist that saw the Tigers score six runs in one inning to take a lead that they would not relinquish despite being held to no hits through the first two innings.
Trace Shoup still leads the SAU offense with his .365 batting average. Shoup also ranks second on the team and tied for eighth in the GAC in home runs with 11. Brandon Nicoll currently leads the offense with his 13 home runs while being ranked third in the GAC. Nicoll also leads the team and is tied for sixth in the GAC in stolen bases with 15. Lee Matsuzaki currently leads the team with 63 hits and 15 doubles this season.
Jeremy Adorno is the leading pitcher for the Muleriders, throwing 77.2 innings on the year with a 3.48 ERA. Jeremy currently leads the staff in strikeouts (89) and is second in the GAC for the same mark. Adorno also ranks fourth in the GAC in ERA, third in opposing batting average (.226), third in innings pitched (77.2), and is tied for first in batters struck out looking (32). Adorno is only two strikeouts away from reaching 450 career punch-outs to extend the record for most in a career at SAU.
A Look at UAM
The Boll Weevils are coming off a sweep over the East Central University Tigers last weekend and a midweek loss to Mississippi College in their final midweek of the season. UAM outscored ECU 37-4 over the course of three games but lost their midweek by a final score of 8-4 to the Choctaws.
The high-powered UAM offense is led by Justin Santoyo with his .399 batting average. Santoyo also leads the team in home runs with eight as well as slugging percentage (.674). Chaz Poppy ranks second on the team with his .393 batting average but leads the team in hits with 68. Maxim Mrakovcic leads the pitching staff with his 4.12 ERA and three complete games this season. Connor Irvine leads the team in strikeouts with 55.
