Southern Arkansas University Men's Baseball

Justin Pettigrew is in his tenth year as head baseball coach at Southern Arkansas University after being promoted from associate head coach following the conclusion of the 2016 season. Overall, Pettigrew, a three-time Great American Conference Coach of the Year (2017, 2022, 2023), is in his 21st year with the Muleriders.   Under his leadership, the Muleriders have enjoyed eight 30-win seasons, three 40-win seasons, the 11th, 12th and 13th such campaigns in program history, and have won nearly 70% of the 453 games played since Pettigrew’s first season of 2017. Southern Arkansas has earned five NCAA Tournament berths under Pettigrew, including three-straight, to go along with four GAC regular season championships and three GAC Tournament titles.   The Muleriders enter the 2026 campaign having won 30+ games in consecutive seasons. 2024 saw the Muleriders finish with a 30-20 overall record while finishing the season with seven All-GAC selections. The following spring then saw the Muleriders finish 31-21 overall coming in second in the regular season GAC standings. The Muleriders went on to have seven Muleriders make the All-GAC list while Jeremy Adorno and Austin Adair raked in NCBWA All-Central Region second team honors. Adorno then went on to win two more region awards as the Senior wrapped up his final season under Justin Pettigrew. In 2023, Southern Arkansas won the GAC regular season championship outright, the program's seventh as a league member, and then carried the top seed into the GAC Tournament where it took two of three from (8) Southeastern Oklahoma State in the opening round. SAU then went on to win three-straight games from inside Arvest Ballpark in Springdale to earn its seventh league tournament title and claim the GAC's automatic bid to the NCAA postseason. Pettigrew saw five members of the 2023 squad garner all-region acclaim, nine receive all-conference honors, with three all-defensive team selections, five all-tournament team members and the tournament MVP to go along with four that were named to all-academic teams.   Pettigrew’s tenure has been highlighted by the program’s historic run to the 2022 NCAA DII College World Series after winning the Central Region title for the first time in the program’s NCAA history. SAU won 47 games that season, the second-most in a single season in program history, and its journey to Cary, North Carolina was a wild one to say the least. Southern Arkansas, GAC regular season champions, won 10 of its 11 league series which included 11 straight wins to open GAC action and six series sweeps. The Muleriders posted a 4-0 record at the league tournament in Hot Springs to capture the program's sixth tournament title and earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Central Region Tournament; the program's 14th NCAA regional berth. SAU was selected as the No. 2 seed and hosted NCAA postseason action for the third time in program history (2009, 2018) and for the second time under Pettigrew.   Four times in the 2022 NCAA postseason, SAU hit a go-ahead home run in its final at bat of the game, while its seven runs in the ninth inning of the Central Region title game marked the fourth time that postseason that the Muleriders manufactured five or more runs in either the seventh, eighth or ninth innings. Nine Muleriders landed on All-GAC teams in 2022 and SAU was represented by the conference’s Newcomer and Pitcher of the Year as well as four all-defensive team selections and three distinguished scholar-athletes. Four players were named GAC All-Tournament which also included the Tournament MVP. Four players were named all-region with one named the region’s consensus pitcher of the year, two garnered All-America plaudits with a third named an academic All-American and one was named National Pitcher of the Year from two different outlets.   In 2021, the Muleriders advanced to the final day of action at the Central Region Tournament before falling to Central Missouri and finishing as regional runner-up behind an overall record of 30-16. SAU won 23 games in GAC play to finish second in the regular season. Six players earned All-GAC honors, one was named both all-region and an All-America honoree and four players were tabbed to Natural State Baseball’s All-Arkansas Team.   SAU combined to win 48 games over the 2019 and 2020 seasons which included a 19-4 record and a top 20 ranking nationally before the ‘20 campaign was halted due to the pandemic. The 2019 team saw four players named All-GAC, three earned all-region acclaim, two named to NSB’s All-Arkansas Team and one tabbed as an academic all-district selection.   In 2018, Pettigrew and the Muleriders staked claim to the program's fifth GAC Tournament Championship of the past seven years after battling back out of the loser's bracket for the first championship win since the 2015 season. With the tournament title, Southern Arkansas served as the top seed and host of the Central Region Tournament, the 12th regional appearance for the program since 2004, and came a game away from reaching the DII World Series as they finished as Runner-Up in the Central Region. During the postseason run, Pettigrew's Muleriders went 9-1 when facing elimination.   Pettigrew led an SAU Baseball team that posted 41 wins; the most by the program since the 2013 season, which included a 22-11 mark in GAC play as well as eight wins over nationally-ranked opponents. It marked the 18th season that Southern Arkansas won at least 30 games.   The 2018 Muleriders received several individual postseason honors as seven players were named All-GAC, including "..of the Year" awards for both Player and Pitcher of the Year. Three players were awarded academic honors, with one being named a Google Cloud Academic All-America Third-Team selection. Additionally, four players were named All-Region honorees with two earning consensus recognition, while one player garnered All-America status from all three major DII Baseball outlets.   Pettigrew also coached the Natural State Player of the Year and saw three players sign pro baseball contracts, including a pair of draft picks in the 2018 Major League Baseball June Amateur First-Year Player Draft.   In his first season as head coach in 2017, Pettigrew was named the GAC’s Coach of the Year as he continued the storied winning tradition of the Mulerider Baseball program. In doing so, Pettigrew led the team to its fourth GAC Regular Season championship in six years after posting an impressive 28-5 record in league play.   Overall, Pettigrew’s first year at the helm saw the Muleriders register a 39-16 record to extend a program-record of 30 or more victories to 17, while also advancing the team to their 11th NCAA Regional Tournament since 2004.   The team's success in 2017 led to numerous individual awards and accolades that saw a total of eight All-GAC selections with “… of the Year” awards for Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Regionally, SAU had the consensus Central Region Player of the Year and a total of six Muleriders received all-region consideration. Finally, Pettigrew’s 2017 team featured a pair of All-America honorees with one being a first-team selection; the program’s first since 2010.   Prior to becoming the head coach, Pettigrew accrued over a decade of coaching experience with the Muleriders as he first joined the program in August of 2005 as the team’s pitching coach, a role he served in for 11 years through the 2016 season. Beginning in the 2011 campaign, Pettigrew added the title of associate head coach.   With Pettigrew as the pitching coach, the Mulerider pitching staff consistently ranked in the top of the conference in many key statistical categories. Additionally, Pettigrew mentored 11 pitchers that moved on to play professional baseball. Of those 11 pitchers to move on past SAU, eight were drafted in the Major League Baseball draft.   In 2010, Pettigrew served as the pitching coach for a first-round MLB draft pick, who was also named the National Pitcher of the Year and runner up for the Tino Martinez Award (Top Division II player).   Prior to his appointment at SAU, Pettigrew was at GAC-rival Arkansas Tech University where he was the pitching coach for five years (2001-2005).   A graduate of Lake Hamilton High School, Pettigrew played junior college baseball at Bossier Parish Community College in Bossier City, La., and Connors State College in Warner, Okla., before transferring to play for the Wonder Boys, where he finished his career in 2000.   Pettigrew received his B.S.E. in health and physical education and his M.Ed. in physical education (2003), both from Arkansas Tech. He is married to the former Corrie O’Dell of Magnolia. The couple have a son, Maddox, and a daughter, Emma. THE PETTIGREW FILE (2017 - PRESENT)   Year OVR W/L GAC W/L Team Honors Individual Honors 2017 39-16 (.709) 28-5 (.848) GAC Regular Season Champs/Central Region Tournament GAC Coach of the Year 2018    41-19 (.638) 22-11 (.667) GAC Tournament Champs / Central Region Runner-Up 2019 29-20 (.592) 21-11 (.656) 2020   19-4 (.826) 8-4 (.667) 2021 30-16 (.652) 23-10 (.697) GAC Regular Season Co-Champs / Central Region Runner-Up 2022 47-11 (.807) 27-6 (.818) Central Region Champs / GAC Regular Season Champs / GAC Tournament Champs GAC Coach of the Year 2023 40-18 (.690) 24-9 (.727) GAC Regular Season Champs / GAC Tournament Champs / Central Region Tournament GAC Coach of the Year 2024 30-20 (.600) 19-13 (.594) 2025 31-21 (.596) 22-11 (.667) Total 306-147 (.675) 175-67 (.723) 4 GAC Regular Season Titles / 3 GAC Tournament Titles / 5 NCAA Central Region Appearances 3x GAC Coach of the Year

Adam Anderson enters into his tenth season as the Muleriders’ pitching coach and is entering his 19th overall with the program after beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 2010. Additionally, Anderson is responsible for the Muleriders’ strength and conditioning program as well as maintaining the baseball facilities at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field. In the 2025 season, Anderson coached a pair of all-region pitchers in Jeremy Adorno and Austin Adair. Adorno was named to the All-Central Region Second Team for the NCBWA, D2CCA, and the ABCA. Adair was named to the NCBWA All-Central Region Second Team. Both pitchers claimed their spots on the All-Arkansas Team for Natural State Baseball.  Over the four seasons that Anderson has coached Adorno, the Florida native accounted for a 3.55 ERA, 35-11 record, 16 complete games, 407.2 innings pitched, and 461 strikeouts. Including his awards listed already, Adorno's career includes 1x GAC Pitcher of the Year, 1x GAC Newcomer of the Year, 3x All-GAC First Team, 1x All-GAC Second Team, and was named to the 2023 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Preseason Watch List as one of the five non-Division I players.  In his freshman campaign at Southern Arkansas University, Adorno was named the D2CCA and NCBWA National Pitcher of the Year after finishing 14-0 in 16 starts, while compiling an ERA of 2.98 in 105.2 innings with 130 strikeouts. He walked just 40 batters while holding opponents to a .196 batting average in helping lead SAU to the NCAA Baseball Championship for the first time in program history. Overall in his time on staff, Anderson has helped coach pitching staffs that have been ranked at the top of the conference in several key statistical categories on a yearly basis. Anderson has also helped oversee the development of five pitchers that have been selected in the Major League Baseball draft since 2011.    In addition to his duties at SAU, Anderson previously coached four summers with the Liberal Bee Jays of the Jayhawk Summer Collegiate Baseball League.   In summers of 2012 & 2013, Anderson was the pitching coach for the Bee Jays, while his final two seasons in Liberal, 2014 & 2015, Anderson served as the head coach. As head coach, his 2015 team would finish 3rd in the National Baseball Congress World Series Tournament.   Before joining the coaching ranks, Anderson was a junior college transfer to SAU from Hill College (Hillsboro, Texas) in 2008.   Over his final two seasons as a collegiate player, Anderson pitched for the Muleriders and helped SAU go 98-23 (.810) and advance to Region Tournaments each season. In his senior season of 2009, Anderson helped SAU attain a No. 1 national ranking, win the program’s first Gulf South Conference West Division title, and later its second GSC Tournament Championship.   Originally from Ajax, Ontario, Anderson received his B.A. in history in 2009 and his M.S. in Kinesiology in 2011, both from SAU. Anderson is married to the former Amanda Pharr and the couple reside in Magnolia.

Southern Arkansas Baseball Head Coach Justin Pettigrew has announced the hiring of Justin Olson as an assistant coach for the upcoming campaign. Olson, a native of Colorado Springs, Colorado comes to Magnolia by way of Austin Peay State University where he spent time as both a player and a coach.   "I'm very happy to welcome Coach Olson to our program," stated Head Coach Justin Pettigrew. "He brings quality and experience not only as a high caliber player during his playing career, but also as a very capable coach and recruiter. Justin has played for and worked directly with some of the best offensive minds in college baseball. I am excited to see him on campus working with our guys to help them develop to be the best they can be on and off the field."   Olson most recently spent time at first base for the Governors and rotated in and out of the designated hitter role throughout the 2024 season as he finished with a .277 batting average, eight home runs, and 29 RBIs over the course of 29 games before serving as a graduate assistant for the coaching staff in 2025.   "I'm super fired up to join this coaching staff and contribute to a program with a strong tradition of winning," remarked Olson. "I'm looking forward to developing players on and off the field, competing at the highest level, and representing the community of Magnolia."   In three seasons of Division I baseball, Olson hit a career .294 with 25 total home runs and a 1.037 OPS. Last year while coaching at Austin Peay, the team ranked in the top third nationally in average, slugging percentage, doubles, runs scored, and OPS. In the last three years (two playing one coaching) Olson has been involved with teams that have been ranked in the top five in batting average with one team being ranked 1st.   Justin began his career at the University of Kentucky in 2019 and 2020 which he did not compete. He then moved to the College of Southern Nevada and from there transferred to the University of New Mexico. In his first season with the Lobos, Olson played in 37 games while batting .239 with four home runs and 18 RBI.  During his 2023 campaign at New Mexico, Olson played in 37 games while making 23 starts and finished the season batting .367 in 90-at bats with 13 home runs and 31 RBI. His 13 home runs were the third-most in the Mountain West Conference, posting a .822 slugging percentage.   The Colorado Springs, Colorado native was voted the Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year in high school and was also voted a high school All-American. The Centennial State native also set the record for single-season home runs with a mark of 14 tying current New York Yankees first baseman Greg Bird.