ADA – The East Central University baseball team picked up a win in the final home game of the 2016 season, defeating Southern Arkansas 7-4 at Ken Turner Field.

The Tigers (15-26, 14-16 GAC) were led by a trio of juniors who tallied two hits each.  Junior Kodiak O'Ravez, Trey Mound and JT Stevenson each garnered two hits and a run, while O'Ravez added an RBI.  ECU also saw two home runs in the game, with junior Kaleb Matthews and senior Kris Molter each hitting two-run homers.

Sophomore Kyle Britt earned the win, throwing the first 7.1 innings, with nine strikeouts.  Junior Dylan Sanchez earned his first save of the season, pitching the last 1.2 innings and striking out one.

The Muleriders (27-17, 17-13 GAC) started the scoring, taking a 0-1 lead after the second inning.

However, the Tigers countered with two runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead for good.  Stevenson started the inning with a single and after a passed ball, De La Toree earned an RBI with a single to left center.  After the first out of the inning, junior Trevor Huie kept things going with a double and was sent around with a single from O'Ravez.

ECU added to the lead in the third inning, for a 3-1 score.  After two outs, Mound doubled and scored on a single from Stevenson.

SAU cut into the advantage with a single run in the fourth, but could not pull even at 3-2.

The Tigers pushed back ahead in the fifth with a two-run home run from Matthews to right field.  Junior Jake MeKeel had started the inning with a walk.

The Muleriders scored a single run in the eighth for a 5-3 lead for ECU.

The final runs of the game for the Tigers came in the bottom of the eighth.  O'Ravez doubled and was sent home on a home run by Molter.

SAU tried to come back in the ninth, but it was only able to score a single run for the 7-4 final.

ECU heads into the final week of the 2016 regular-season to face Southeastern Oklahoma State, April 29-30 in Durant, Okla.