[October 13, 2007]

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – A first half defensive stalemate turned into a second half offensive slugfest as Ouachita Baptist and Southern Arkansas combined for 52 second stanza points. The Tigers (4-3, 2-3 GSC) had 35 of them though, pulling away for a 38-17 win Saturday at A.U. Williams Field.

Zach Wright’s 23-yard field goal at 12:41in the second quarter was the only scoring either team could muster in the first half as OBU took a 3-0 lead into halftime. The kick followed a seven-play, 36-yard drive and was aided by a 40-yard pass from quarterback Lance Parker to Charles Hayes.

Ouachita Baptist jumped on the board early in the second half, taking the kickoff and going 64 yards in six plays and reaching the end zone on a 34-yard pass from Parker to Julius Pruitt. Wright’s PAT was good for a 10-0 lead at 12:00. The Muleriders finally reached the scoreboard on their next possession, getting a 27-yard field goal from Noé Cuevas with 6:56 remaining. The Tigers came right back as Willie Hopson had a 50-yard kickoff return allowing OBU to set up shop at the SAU 38. After Hopson rushed for a combined 13 yards on the first two plays, Parker hit Hayes for a 25-yard score and Wright’s kick booted it to 17-3 at 5:35.

A Southern Arkansas fumble gave Ouachita Baptist the ball back at the end of the third and Hopson tacked on an 11-yard touchdown run at 12:29 in the fourth. The Muleriders then made it to the end zone when quarterback Josh SanFilippo hit running back Keundric Loucious for a 38-yard touchdown pass with 8:56 left. Cuevas’ kick made it 24-10. The Tigers then rolled 63 yards in five plays with K.J. Johnson finding pay-dirt on a 13-yard scamper at 6:32. OBU put it away when Graham Cole scooped up a SanFilippo fumble and rolled in from 11 yards out for a 38-10 advantage at 2:09. SAU threw a last seven on the board with SanFilippo’s 44-yard pass to Steven Ashley with 1:28 remaining.

Southern Arkansas (2-5, 1-4 GSC) can’t shake the turnover bug, totaling 12 in their past two games, with five coming against Ouachita Baptist. The Muleriders put four fumbles on the ground, losing three, and tossed two interceptions, while the Tigers lost just one fumble.

OBU finished with 354 yards of total offense to SAU’s 287. The Tigers had 212 through the air and 142 on the ground, led by Hopson’s 125 on 22 carries. Southern Arkansas managed 189 rushing yards and 98 passing, with all 98 coming in the second half. The Muleriders were 0 for 4 with the two interceptions in the first frame. Ashley had 70 yards on eight totes to lead SAU’s ground game.

Parker was 14 of 20 passing for all 212 yards and the two TD’s. SanFilippo was four for 17 for the 98 yards, two touchdowns, and two picks.

Pruitt grabbed seven of Parker’s passes for 104 yards, and Ashley snared two for Southern Arkansas for 57 yards.

Nick Marsh finished with a game-high 12 tackles in leading Ouachita’s defense, getting nine solo, including one for loss. Defensive back Daren Lewis had nine stops for the Muleriders, with six unassisted, including 2.5 for four yards in loss.

SAU celebrates homecoming next week as the Muleriders host Harding Saturday in a 2:30 p.m. kickoff.

#SAU#