MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Sophomore right-hander Tanner Vaught tossed 5.2 innings in his first outing of the season and in the process picked up eight strikeouts, while his teammates backed his start with a five-run third-inning as #13 Southern Arkansas topped Washburn 5-3 to take the season-opening series on Saturday evening inside Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field.

The Muleriders (2-1) recorded seven hits, four of which came in the aforementioned run-producing third inning, and used solid relief outings from freshman Remy Bilodeau and junior JP Casey to hold off the Ichabods late.

Vaught scattered se...