[May 4, 2008]

By: Houston Taylor

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – A six-run fifth inning boosted No. 7 Southern Arkansas to a 10-5 victory over Harding Sunday at USA Stadium, eliminating the Bisons from the Gulf South Conference tournament.

The Muleriders and Harding, second and fourth seeds from the West Division, respectively, met in the loser’s bracket following SAU’s 12-3 loss to Montevallo and the Bisons’ 4-3 setback to No. 11 Valdosta State on Saturday.

Shortstop Pat Robey and centerfielder Tyler Maag provided the fireworks for Southern Arkansas, combining for four hits and eight RBI. Robey ignited the fifth-inning scoring spree with a bases clearing triple in the left field corner, while Maag’s home run in the eighth and double in the ninth brought in two runs each.

Harding took advantage early on solo runs in the first two innings, including an Aaron Roberts homer in the first. The Muleriders’ offensive struggles continued through the first frames as Bison starter Brodie Brumley took a no-hitter into the fourth where second baseman Cannon Lester led off with an infield single to finally put a hit on the board for SAU. No threat followed that however, as Southern Arkansas then went down in order.

Brumley came unraveled in the fifth however, as catcher Tyler Alston got it started for the Muleriders when he was hit by a pitch, as was right fielder David Aubrey who followed. Designated hitter Nick Smith then laid down a bunt single to load the bases and Maag drew a walk to force in the first run. Harding suffered three hit batters and two walks in the inning to aid SAU, which had three hits in the frame, none bigger than Robey’s three-bagger which came after Maag. Lester was then dinked with a pitch and that was it for Brumley. Leftfielder John Long welcomed Shane Bishop to the mound with a single up the middle to bring in Robey, and first baseman Tim Dellwo then drew a walk to force Bishop’s exit. After a foul pop-up for an out, Alston came back up and delivered a sacrifice fly to center to bring Lester home for the final sixth run of the inning.

Maag’s two-run jack in the top of the eighth made it an 8-2 game, but after two consecutive walks in the bottom of the frame, the Bisons’ Matt Stevens launched a two-out shot over the fence in left-center to trim it to 8-5.

Maag then added the insurance runs in the final frame after Dellwo and Aubrey singled and pinch-hitter Curtis Gibson drew a walk. Harding pinch-hitter Dare Saul, a former Mulerider, reached on a two-out fielding error in the bottom half, but an infield groundout ended any threat and the game.

Hayden Simpson was going for his 10th win of the season for Southern Arkansas, but after throwing four innings, didn’t come out for the fifth. Aaron Terry relieved, tossing 3 2/3 innings for the win to move to 7-1. Terry allowed three hits, including the three-run homer, and walked and struck out two. Brian Byrd went the final 1 1/3 for his first save of the year, holding the Bisons hitless as he fanned two. Simpson scattered four hits over his innings, giving up the two earned runs and three walks, while striking out three.

Harding used a total of six arms in the game, with Brumley (5-2) the loser. He was responsible for three hits, the six runs in the fifth, and two walks, and struck out three.

Robey and Maag each had two hits, with Maag finishing with five RBI. The home run was his seventh of the season. Robey had his 18th double to go with the triple. Dellwo and Smith also added two hits apiece.

Stevens had three hits for the Bisons, getting the three RBI on the homer.

The Muleriders now advance to Monday’s 4 p.m. game where they’ll face the loser of Sunday night’s Delta State-Ouachita Baptist contest in an elimination game. The second-ranked Statesmen had a 6-2 win over North Alabama and the No. 22 Tigers took a 7-1 decision against West Alabama on Saturday.

Photos by Aaron Morris, SAU sports information