The result was a four-run rally late in the game as Sallisaw snatched a 4-2 win over Muldrow at the Diamonds' field.
Sallisaw banged out five basehits in the bottom of the sixth inning, including the game-winner by Matt Merrill. The timely hitting carried the Diamonds to their third win in a row and their fourth in the last five outings. Moving above .500 for the first time this season, Sallisaw improved to 8-7.
Muldrow, which was coming off a big win over Stilwell the day before, slipped to 6-7 with the loss. However, the Bulldogs seized an early lead and were in command for most of the afternoon.
Brandon Short led off the game with single and advanced to second on Justin Pratt's sacrifice bunt. Chris Turner followed with an RBI-single and Tyler Miller gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead with a sacrifice fly that drove in Brandon Cardwell.
The two-run cushion appeared to be plenty for Muldrow as starting pitcher Turner held Sallisaw in check for most of the afternoon. The Bulldog hurler limited the Diamonds to a pair of hits while shutting out the home team for the opening five innings.
Sallisaw's best chance to score during that span came in the bottom of the second, when Shane Cox tried to spark a two-out rally with an infield single. Matt Hawkins advanced courtesy runner John Petree to second with another single, but Turner fanned the next batter to get out of the inning.
Cox, a senior righthander, kept the Diamonds close by allowing just three hits after the first inning. His only trouble came in the top of the sixth when Muldrow took advantage of an error and a hit batter to load the bases. Sallisaw got out of the jam with a force at second base to stay within 2-0.
The missed opportunity would cost Muldrow in the bottom of the inning as Sallisaw scored four times to surge in front. Third baseman Ryan Clubb keyed a two-out rally for the Diamonds with a bloop single. The next batter, Danial McHenry, stroked a run-scoring double into the gap and made it to third base on the throw. McHenry came home on a Muldrow throwing error to knot the score. With Petree on second and Hawkins on first, Merrill drove a two-RBI double over the centerfielder's head to put Sallisaw in front, 4-2.
The visitors made things interesting in the top of the seventh inning as William Jones led off with a single and Short drew a base on balls. Pratt's sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, but Cox got the next batter to pop up and then fielded a grounder for the third out.
Cox improved to 4-2 with the win. He struck out five, walked one and gave up five hits while going the distance on the mound for Sallisaw. Turner took the loss, dropping to 3-2. The Muldrow pitcher struck out six, walked two and allowed seven hits.
Sallisaw's top batter was catcher Matt Hawkins, who was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles. Miller, Clubb, McHenry, Cox and Merrill accounted for the Diamonds' other basehits with one each.
Muldrow got a 2-for-3 effort from Jones while teammates Short, Turner and Kyle Flanagan all had one hit apiece.
Sallisaw was scheduled to open play at the Fort Smith Diamond Classic on Wednesday against Pulaski Academy. The tournament runs through Saturday at Crowder Field on the UAFS campus.
Muldrow is also playing in a tournament this week. The Bulldogs will compete at the Armstrong Bank Classic in Stilwell.
