A Saturday twinbill split with conference powerhouse Southern Arkansas put the Southeastern baseball team in prime position for securing a return to the Great American Conference Tournament for the first time since 2022.
The Savage Storm just need a series victory over rival East Central on the road this weekend to definitely punch their postseason ticket in Alan Trayler’s first season in the head coaching helm.
Southeastern picked up the critical 8-7 victory in Saturday’s opener thanks largely to a six-run second inning explosion.
Ryan Kirk doubled in a run to start the flurry and the Savage Storm produced three big two-out hits, including a Nick Mueller double with the bases loaded which drove in three runs.
The Savage Storm put it in cruise control from there over the next three stanzas, carrying that 6-0 edge into the sixth with starting hurler Colton Clawson cruising on the mound.
That when trouble erupted with an omen of things to come as the Muleriders plated four over the following two frames. Southeastern’s only reprieve was a Mueller two-run homer down the rightfield line in the seventh inning, which ultimately proved to be vital.
Southern Arkansas closed the gap to 8-7 on a three-run bomb in the ninth before Cody Pfeffer came on to pick up the final two outs and record the save.
Mueller, Wesley Mitchell, Payton Poole and Kirk all had two hits for the Savage Storm with Mueller driving in five.
It was the visitors that built a big early advantage in the nightcap on the way to a 9-7 decision to ultimately claim the overall series.
Southeastern put up a strong fight over the final three innings, plating three runs in the fifth and three more in the seventh before the comeback fell short.
Mitchell’s two-run home run was the key blow in the fifth with Carter Olson contributing a two-run blast in the seventh along with a solo homer from Brady Evans. Evans, Mitchell and Austin Thorp all finished with two hits for Southeastern.
The pivotal weekend series begins at 3 p.m. Friday with a single nine-inning contest in Ada.
