MAGNOLIA, Arkansas – The Ouachita baseball team opened its weekend series on the road against Southern Arkansas on Friday with a pair of two-run losses by scores of 8-6 and 4-2.

In game one, the Tigers led 6-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, only to see the Muleriders load the bases with two outs and get a game-winning grand slam from Brandon Nicoll.

SAU scratched one run across in both of the first and second innings to take the early lead, but the Tigers scored three in the top of the third on a two-run single from Jaxson Jester and a sac fly from Logan Bell on a ball that was caught at the right field wall.

The Muleriders got back on top with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. From there, Ouachita responded with two in the next half inning on a RBI single from Isaac Nowell and a solo home run by Connor Hill, which was his first collegiate trip around the bases. One more came across in the top of the eighth on an RBI groundout from Wesley Scott.

The Tigers turned in a season-high 13 hits in game one, led by three-hit performances from Jester and Nowell. Scott also had a multi-hit game at 2-for-4.

In the nightcap, SAU struck first with two in the first inning before Ouachita equalized in the third cashing in on a Mulerider error.  

SAU finalized the scoring with one run in both of the fourth and sixth innings. SAU pitcher Beau Leonards only allowed one Tiger baserunner in the final four innings of the seven-inning affair.

The Tigers had three hits in the nightcap, two coming from Nowell.

Due to the forecast, the series finale has been pushed to Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Magnolia.