MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Gulf South Conference has released the 2008 Spring All-Academic Teams, and Academic Honor Roll, which includes 34 Southern Arkansas student-athletes, six of them named to the elite conference All-Academic Teams. A total of 83 student-athletes across the league were named All-Academic, including eight three-time selections, and 17 who were members of the 2007 team.

The GSC All-Academic Teams are nominated by the conference sports information directors (SIDs), and selected by the SIDs and faculty athletic representatives in a joint vote. Nominees must have an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.20 or better on a 4.00 scale for their entire academic career and may not be a freshman or first-semester transfers.

Members of the GSC Academic Honor Roll must post a minimum of a cumulative 3.00 GPA and have competed during their respective season. All student-athletes, including freshmen and first-semester transfers, are eligible for the honor roll.

All-Academic Team honorees from SAU are James (Pat) Robey in baseball, Samantha Hoelscher, Joanna Jones, and Cheyenne Savony in softball, and Caitlin Korensek and Rachel Vinsant in women’s tennis.

Robey, a 5-9, 170-pound shortstop from Longview, Texas, is a human performance, recreation and community service major, who sports a 3.37 GPA in garnering his first all-academic team honor. The senior is now a two-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll and a member of both the Southern Arkansas President’s List (4.00 GPA) and Dean’s List (minimum 3.50 GPA). Robey was a Daktronics Second Team All-South Central Region pick on the field this season, was also a First Team All-GSC honoree, and was named once as the GSC West Division Player of the Week. Robey hit .371 this season with 18 doubles, two triples, two home runs, and 59 RBI, and led the squad with 86 hits, 45 walks, nine sacrifice flies, and 30 stolen bases.

A 5-5 outfielder out of Columbus, Texas, Hoelscher posted a 3.26 GPA in exercise science. Now a two-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll, the senior has also been named twice to the SAU Dean’s List. Playing in all 41 games this season, Hoelscher hit .282 with three doubles, three home runs, and 15 RBI, and led the team with 12 sacrifice hits, and outfielders with a .980 fielding percentage.

Jones, a 5-5 second baseman from Needville, Texas, had a 3.83 GPA and graduated Magna Cum Laude in May with a B.S. in psychology and a minor in sociology. She was recently selected ESPN The Magazine Second Team Academic All-District VI and is now a two-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll. Jones is a member of the SAU President’s List and a three-time member of the Dean’s List. Named First Team All-GSC the past two seasons, she led the Lady Muleriders this year in hitting .392 with six home runs, 29 runs scored, a .600 slugging percentage and .444 on-base percentage, and 23 stolen bases. Jones added six doubles, one triple, and 16 RBI from her leadoff spot.

A 5-6 senior pitcher and outfielder out of Kilgore, Texas, Savony has a 3.95 GPA in athletic training and earns all-academic laurels for the second consecutive year. She was selected last month as first team on the prestigious ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI team. Savony is now a four-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll, and is a six-time member of the Southern Arkansas President’s List and four-time member of the SAU Dean’s List. A first team all-conference pick this season, she led the squad with eight doubles and 14 walks, and hit .319 with one home run, 14 RBI, and scored 15 runs. Savony was 5-12 in the circle this year with a 4.12 ERA and led the team with 66 strikeouts in 28 appearances.

Korensek, a sophomore from Ennis, Texas, recorded a 3.79 GPA in inclusive early childhood education. As a freshman last season she was named an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete. Twice a member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll, Korensek is also a two-time member of both the SAU President’s and Dean’s Lists. She led the 2008 team in both singles and doubles, posting an 11-3 record in singles, including 8-0 at No. 4, and 8-8 in doubles with an 8-7 mark at No. 2.

A senior out of Greenville, Texas, Vinsant tops the GSC West Division women’s tennis all-academic squad as a three-time honoree, one of eight selected on the spring teams. She racked up a 3.95 GPA, graduating Summa Cum Laude in May with a B.S. in biological science and a minor in Spanish. Selected the past two years to the ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District VI team, Vinsant is also is a three-time ITA Scholar-Athlete honoree. She received the 2008 Southern Arkansas Scholar-Athlete award and is now a four-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll. Vinsant is a six-time member of the SAU President’s List and a two-time member of the Dean’s List. A four-time All-GSC performer on the court, Vinsant was a second team selection this season. She had a 9-5 record in singles (7-2 at No. 3) and was 7-9 in doubles (7-6 at No. 2) play.

Of the 15-member institutions in the GSC, Harding and Valdosta State each had 10 student-athletes named to the All-Academic Teams, followed by Ouachita Baptist with eight, while Southern Arkansas, Arkansas-Monticello, North Alabama, and West Florida placed six apiece on the teams.

Mulerider baseball team members joining Robey on the GSC Academic Honor Roll include Adam Anderson, a junior with a 3.61 in history; Brian Byrd, a junior with a 3.20 in business administration-finance; Tim Dellwo, a junior with a 3.71 in exercise science; Preston Despain, a junior with a 3.71 in health, kinesiology & recreation (HKR); Blake Fulenwider, a freshman with a 3.38 in mathematics; Curtis Gibson, a junior with a 3.10 in business administration-organizational management; Brandon Graves, a junior with a 3.12 in HKR; Matthew Hodges, a red-shirt freshman with a 3.46 in political science; Cannon Lester, a sophomore with a 3.06 in physical education, wellness and leisure; Brendan McDonald, a junior with a 3.30 in mass communications-print journalism; Brandon Miller, a red-shirt freshman with a 3.68 in pre-pharmacy; James Schroeder, a junior with a 3.48 in HKR; and Thomas Tillery, a junior with a 3.14 in HKR.

Members of the men’s golf team making the honor roll are John Crowley, a junior with a 3.83 in business administration-finance; Thomas (T.C.) Graham, a junior with a 3.15 in HKR; and Drew Webster, a senior with a 3.15 in exercise science.

Lady Mulerider golf team members on the honor roll include Tabatha Neely, a senior with a 3.02 in HKR; Chelsea Roach, a sophomore with a 3.41 in pre-physical therapy; and Whitney Taylor, a freshman with a 3.25 in psychology.

Joining Hoelscher, Jones, and Savony on the softball honor roll are Alexandra Doyle, a freshman with a 3.90 in pre-physical therapy; Megan Holliday, a freshman with a 3.00 in pre-dentistry; Sarah Holub, a freshman with a 4.00 in mass communications-digital media; Tancy Matthews, a freshman with a 3.06 in business administration-marketing; Kirstie Reed, a senior with a 3.15 in business administration-marketing; and Meghan Sims, a junior with a 3.40 in HKR.

Other members of the SAU women’s tennis team joining Korensek and Vinsant on the honor roll include Aneeka Bhalla, a senior with a 3.73 in biological science; Meaghan Ocanas, a freshman with a 4.00 in exercise science; and Megan Phinny, a sophomore with a 3.21 in exercise science.

Of the 15-member institutions in the GSC, West Florida had 44 student-athletes named to the conference Academic Honor Roll, Harding had 39, Valdosta State had 37, Christian Brothers had 35, and Southern Arkansas had 34.

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas Coach Allen Gum has announced an all-skills baseball camp that the Muleriders will conduct Wednesday and Thursday, June 25-26.

The camp, with an emphasis on hitting and pitching, will be held from 5-9 p.m. each day at Mulerider Field. Campers from ages 7-12 are eligible to participate with the cost being $50 per participant. Early registration is available with forms being obtained by contacting the SAU baseball office, or by registering at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25.

The camp will be conducted by SAU coaches and players. Each camper will receive a T-shirt.

For more information, or to pre-register, contact the SAU baseball office at (870) 235-4127.

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas has placed two student-athletes on the 2008 ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District VI men’s and women’s track & field and cross country teams.

The Muleriders are represented by Joshua Mitchell, while the Lady Muleriders’ Michaela Krcova was selected. Both athletes compete as distance runners for SAU.

A senior from Alia, Hawaii, Mitchell graduated Cum Laude in May with a B.S. in exercise science with a 3.62 GPA. He receives the academic honor for the second consecutive year, garnering first team laurels last year as well. Mitchell was named in the fall to both the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team and the Gulf South Conference Cross Country All-Academic Team, and is a four-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll. He is also a two-time member of the SAU President’s List (4.00 GPA) and four-time member of the Dean’s List. Mitchell was the leading runner on this year’s cross country squad, who had three top three finishes, including winning the Ouachita Baptist Bob Gravett Invitational and the Hendrix Orange Crush.

Krcova, a sophomore out of Trnava, Slovakia, posted a perfect 4.00 GPA in business administration-finance. She was selected this year to the GSC Cross Country All-Academic Team, is a two-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll, and is a four-time member of the SAU President’s List, with all “A’s” in her four semesters at the university. Krcova ended the 2007 cross country season with four top 16 finishes.

By virtue of being named first team on the district squads, both student-athletes will now advance for consideration on the academic All-America teams.

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – A total of 10 athletes have signed to play volleyball for Southern Arkansas according to Coach Brooke White. The Lady Muleriders’ 2008 class includes three transfers and seven incoming freshmen that will join seven returnees from the 2007 squad.

Transferring in are Kristen Maureau, Danielle Sneed, and Michaela Scroggins, and signing from the high school ranks are Katy Kidwell, Erica Malone, Courtney Ray, Laura Reed, Courtney Smith, Meagan Utsey, and Jordan White.

Maureau and Sneed come to SAU from Brookhaven (Texas) College where they helped lead the Bears to their fourth consecutive Metro Athletic Conference (MAC) championship and a third-place finish in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III national championship last fall. Both were named First Team All-NJCAA Region V and First Team All-MAC, while Sneed received First Team NJCAA DIII All-America honors and was the Region V most valuable player. They were also both selected to the DIII national championship All-Tournament Team. Maureau is a 5-9, junior middle blocker/right side hitter from Houston, Texas, who prepped at Cypress Ridge High School, and Sneed is a 5-6, junior outside hitter/defensive specialist out of Duncanville, Texas.

A 5-6, sophomore setter, Scroggins comes to Southern Arkansas from Manatee (Fla.) Community College. Originally from The Colony, Texas, Scroggins played in 19 matches in her only season for the Lancers, averaging 5.3 assists and 2.0 digs per game, and had 25 services aces.

Kidwell is a 5-10 middle blocker/outside hitter out of Whitehouse, Texas; Malone is a 5-7 libero/defensive specialist from Spring (Klein HS), Texas; Ray is a 5-10 outside hitter out of Texarkana (Pleasant Grove HS), Texas; Reed is a 6-0 right side hitter/setter from Carthage, Texas; Smith is a 5-10 right side hitter out of Arlington (Mansfield Summit HS), Texas; Utsey is a 5-8 defensive specialist from Camden (Fairview HS); and White is a 5-8 outside hitter out of Longview, Texas.

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas Assistant Coach Justin Pettigrew has announced a summer baseball showcase that the Muleriders will hold on Saturday, June 14.

The showcase is designed to give high school students (grades 9-12) the opportunity to improve and display their talent and will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Mulerider Field and the SAU baseball facility. The showcase will include presentations, timed running, and defensive and hitting evaluations.

Cost for the showcase is $100 per participant and the fee will cover a lunch of pizza, a scrimmage, evaluations, and discussions on academics, admissions, clearing house, and the NCAA. The showcase is only open to the first 50 applicants and a $50 non-refundable deposit must be made by Saturday, June 7. The remaining $50 can be paid prior to the start of the showcase on June 14.

For more information, or to pre-register, contact Coach Pettigrew at (870) 235-4103, or at jrpettigrew@saumag.edu. Registration and release forms and a showcase itinerary can also be found on the SAU athletic website at the “Camps” link.

May 29, 2008
By: Houston Taylor

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas left fielder John Long picked up his third All-America honor when he was named a second team selection on the 2008 National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association All-America Team released Thursday.

Long (5-9, 175, Sr., Smackover, Ark.) is the only player from the Gulf South Conference to represent at least the second team on all three post-season All-America squads released so far, and one of two first team selections from the league (Daktronics). He led the GSC this season in slugging percentage (.800) and total bases (164), and ranked in the top five of seven offensive categories (batting average, hits, RBI, doubles, home runs and sac flies). Long was ranked 11th and 12th nationally in slugging percentage and total bases, respectively.

The senior led the Muleriders this year in hitting .415 with 18 home runs, two triples, 21 doubles, and 74 RBI.

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas Mulerider Coach Eric Bozeman has announced two boy’s basketball camps that will be held in June. An elementary day camp is set for June 2-4 and an individual junior and senior high camp will run from June 8-12.

Bozeman is entering his fourth season at SAU, after having served as an assistant coach at Ole Miss for seven years. Some of the top high school and college coaches in the region will assist the Southern Arkansas coaching staff and players with the camps.

Instruction, activities, and supervision will be classified according to age.
Campers will receive individual instruction in fundamental phases of basketball including defense, rebounding, shooting, ball-handling, and passing.

Registration for the elementary (grades 1-6) day camp will be held Monday, June 2, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the W.T. Watson Athletic Center gymnasium. Registration for the junior and senior high (grades 7-12) individual camp will be held on Sunday, June 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bussey Hall.

Campers should bring basketball shoes, socks, T-shirts, and shorts. Resident campers for the individual camp should bring bed linens and a pillow for a single bed, and personal articles such as towels, swim suits, and money, for concession and pizza orders.

While at camp, campers will be covered by an excess insurance plan. This is designed to cover only eligible expenses remaining un-reimbursed after primary insurance companies have made payment in case of injury. A copy of this policy will be made available in the camp director’s office.

Cost for the elementary day camp is $75, with a $25 deposit. The cost for the junior and senior high individual camp is $250 for residents staying on campus, with a $100 deposit due, and $180 for commuters, with a $75 deposit.

For more information on the camps, or to receive application forms, phone 870-235-4130 or 870-356-7944. Brochures and registration forms may also be obtained on the SAU athletic website at the “Camps” link.

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Outfielder John Long of Southern Arkansas has been named to both the Daktronics and Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association Division II All-America Baseball Teams. Long was a first team selection on the Daktronics squad and was a second team pick on the Rawlings/ABCA team.

A 5-9, 175-pound senior leftfielder from Smackover, Long was one of three outfielders, and the only Gulf South Conference player, chosen on the Daktronics first team, while he and Ouachita Baptist starting pitcher Steve Smith were the highest GSC selections on the Rawlings/ABCA team.

Earlier named first team on both the Daktronics and Rawlings/ABCA All-South Central Region teams, Long led the Muleriders this season hitting .415 with an .800 slugging percentage. He had team-highs of 18 home runs, 21 doubles, 74 RBI, 164 total bases, and had two triples. A First Team All-GSC honoree, Long was twice named the GSC West Division Player of the Week this year. His 164 total bases set the new SAU season record and he tied a single game mark with six runs scored. Playing and starting in all 58 games, Long had 85 hits, scored 60 runs, drew 23 walks, and had a .479 on-base percentage and a .978 fielding percentage from his position in left field.

Long becomes the fourth player in the Southern Arkansas baseball program to be selected a first team All-American, the second since becoming affiliated with the NCAA, and the 24th All-American overall.

The Muleriders concluded the season with a 46-12 record, tying the school mark for wins, and advanced to the NCAA regional for the third time, reaching the semi-finals.

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas Coach Sam Biley has announced this summer’s girl’s basketball camps. The camps will be held in the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.

The sixth annual Lady Muleriders’ “Rookie” basketball day-camp is scheduled for June 23-25. Girls entering grades 3-6 will receive instruction in ball-handling, lay-ups, free throws, passing, receiving, and defense. The cost of the camp is $65 per camper with a $25 deposit. Hours of the camp are from 9 a.m. until noon.

The 38th annual girl’s basketball camp is set for July 6-10. Girls entering grades 6-12 and meeting eligibility requirements set by the Arkansas Activities Association are eligible to participate. Instruction, activities, and supervision will be classified according to age. The camp will provide individual instruction in fundamental phases of basketball including defense, rebounding, shooting, ball-handling, and passing.

Camp coaches will include Cecily Butler from Prescott, Lucy Williams of Monticello, Corey Smith from El Dorado, Gail Kimbell of Stephens, Elaine Gilbert from Homer, La., and SAU Assistant Coach Carrie Slaton. Members of the Lady Mulerider basketball team will also assist with instruction.

The cost of the camp for overnight residential campers is $220 per participant, with an $85 deposit due with the application. The day-camper’s fee is $165 per participant, with a $75 deposit due with the application. No meals are furnished to day-campers.

For more information, contact Coach Sam Biley at (870) 235-4134 or (870) 234- 5591, or Coach Carrie Slaton at (870) 235-4197.

Camp information and applications can be found on the Southern Arkansas athletic website at the “Camps” link.

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Several football camps are scheduled at Southern Arkansas this summer beginning with the Lil’ Mulerider camp June 3-5. An offensive/defensive line camp and a skills camp will run simultaneously June 10-12.

The Lil’ Mulerider football camp is slated for June 3-5 from 9 a.m. to noon each day at Wilkins Stadium and the practice fields. Children entering the first through seventh grades are eligible to participate. Football fundamentals, drills, videos, and games will be involved. Campers can enroll by calling Coach Jeff Byrd at 870-235-4106, or they can enroll on June 3 from 8:30-9:00 a.m. The cost is $50 per camper and includes a DVD copy of the camp and a t-shirt. Campers need to wear workout clothes and cleats, and bring a water bottle.

The offensive/defensive line and skills camps set for June 10-12 will include three work days on all aspects of offensive and defensive line play, and intensive work in the skill areas of tight end, linebacker, running back, quarterback, receiver, and defensive back. Camp staff will include successful high school and college coaches from the area. The fee for each of the two camps is $195 for overnight campers and $125 for day campers. Three meals a days will be served for overnight campers, and lunch will be provided for day campers. T-shirts will be issued to all campers. A $50 non-refundable deposit must accompany all registration forms. All players entering the eighth through 12th grades are eligible. Campers should bring helmets and shoulder pads. If these items are unavailable, they can be rented for a small charge. Other items needed are athletic shorts, t-shirts, wash clothes, towels, toilet items, and bedding. Campers should bring enough clothes for six practices. Check-in time is between 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, June 10, at the SAU field house. Check-out will be Thursday, June 12, between 11 a.m. to noon.

For more information, or to obtain camp application forms, contact SAU Coach Jeff Byrd at (870) 235-4106. Camp information and application forms can also be obtained on the Southern Arkansas athletic website on the “Camps” link.

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Rachel Vinsant, a member of the Southern Arkansas tennis program, has been selected for the second consecutive year to the 2008 ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District VI Women’s At-Large Team.

A 5-8 senior this past season, Vinsant, from Greenville, Texas, graduated Summa Cum Laude this month with a 3.95 GPA with a B.S. in biological science and a minor in Spanish. A Gulf South Conference All-Academic Team honoree the past two years, she also is a three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete and has been listed on the GSC Academic Honor Roll the past three seasons. Vinsant received the SAU female Scholar-Athlete Award earlier this month, and is a six-time member of the Southern Arkansas President’s List, and a two-time member of the Dean’s List.

Playing primarily at No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles this year, Vinsant was 9-5 and 7-9, respectively, on her way to Second Team All-GSC honors. She was an all-conference pick all four years of her career, receiving first team accolades last year and in her freshman season.

Vinsant will now advance for consideration on the Academic All-America Team.

MAGNOLIA — Southern Arkansas University’s baseball team has received a $500,000 grant from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, Inc. based in Fayetteville.

The grant will be used to make improvements to the baseball field, but plans have not yet been finalized. Some of the ideas being considered include a new scoreboard and press box, a concession stand, public restrooms, and possibly office space for coaches to meet with players and prospective recruits in private.

SAU Foundation Director Jeanie Bismark said she and Josh Kee, associate director of the foundation, received a letter Tuesday that the grant was accepted. The group applied for the grant in February.

On Wednesday morning, the pair, along with Mulerider Baseball Coach Allen Gum, SAU Director of Athletics Jay Adcox, and SAU President Dr. David Rankin, took part in a conference call thanking the foundation for the gift. They spoke to Debbie Walker, Executive Director of the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation.

“I just wanted to tell you what a huge difference these grants make in the baseball program,” Gum said. “So much of recruitment is driven by the quality of the facilities and we continue to attract better recruits each year with one of the nicest quality baseball fields in (NCAA) Division II baseball.”

The Walker Charitable Foundation first granted Southern Arkansas a $160,000 matching grant in July 2005 which provided the lights at the baseball field.

Adcox described this year’s gift from the Walker Charitable Foundation as “tremendous” and said the benefits of a top notch baseball facility impact more than just the baseball team.

“This facility is a pride factor for the University and the whole community,” Adcox said.

Rankin said one of the goals for the University is to eventually host an NCAA Division II South Central Region tournament which ended this past weekend. The Muleriders’ season came to a close in the semi-finals of the regional with a loss to Delta State.

The loss was the end of a phenomenal season by SAU (46-12) as they reached the 40-win plateau for the third consecutive year and reached the No. 1 ranking in the country in April for the first time in University history. Southern Arkansas’ 46 victories matches the highest season win total set by the 1987 NAIA World Series team that finished third in the nation.

*Sports Information Director Houston Taylor contributed to this press release

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas outfielder Tyler Maag was selected on the 2008 South Central Region All-Tournament Team for his performance in the Muleriders’ four games at the regional.

A 5-9, 180-pound junior from North Canton, Ohio, Maag hit .462 in going 6 for 13, and scored four runs. His three hits against sixth-ranked Abilene Christian sparked a rally from a 7-2 deficit to a 9-8 win that propelled SAU into the semi-finals of the tourney. Maag’s bases clearing triple in the eighth inning pulled the team to within one run and he had the game-winning RBI in the ninth when he was hit by a pitch with the bags again loaded. He also added a double in the game and finished with five RBI.

Maag had two hits in Southern Arkansas’ 5-2 loss to eventual region champion No. 26 Ouachita Baptist, added a single, drew a walk, and scored two runs in the 15-3 win that eliminated Texas A&M-Kingsville, and was again hit by a pitch and scored a run in the 5-3 loss to No. 1 Delta State in the semi-final game.

Maag, who was also named to the Gulf South Conference All-Tournament Team two weeks ago, was one of only two players on the 11-man region all-tournament team that wasn’t a member of the two final contenders of Ouachita Baptist and Delta State. OBU outfielder Justin Pennell was named the tournament’s most outstanding player.

May 20, 2008
By: Houston Taylor

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas outfielder John Long, starting pitcher Cody Jones, and shortstop Pat Robey have been honored on two post-season all-region baseball teams. Long was named Tuesday to the 2008 Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association All-South Central Region First Team, and he and Jones were first team picks on the 2008 Daktronics All-South Central Region Team, while Robey was selected to the second team.

A 5-9, 175-pound senior from Smackover, Long led the Muleriders this season hitting .415 with an .800 slugging percentage. He had team-highs of 18 home runs, 21 doubles, 74 RBI, 164 total bases, and had two triples. An earlier First Team All-Gulf South Conference honoree, Long was twice named the GSC West Division Player of the Week this year. His 164 total bases set the new SAU season record and he tied a single game mark with six runs scored earlier this year. Playing and starting in all 58 games, Long had 85 hits, scored 60 runs, drew 23 walks, and had a .479 on-base percentage and a .978 fielding percentage from his position in left field.

Jones ended his four-year career at Southern Arkansas with a win-loss record of 32-11, matching the school’s all-time mark for pitching victories. A 6-2, 180-pound senior out of Springhill, La., he was also a First Team All-GSC selection. Jones had 16 starts, five complete games, and one shutout this season, compiling a 9-3 record and 4.22 ERA. He had 78 strikeouts and just 20 walks in throwing a team-high 106 2/3 innings. Jones’ 269 career strikeouts stands at second on the all-time Mulerider list, while the 115 he had in his sophomore season of 2006 tops the SAU chart. An All-America selection that year, he finished with 12 victories that equaled the second-best win total in school history.

A 5-9, 170-pound senior from Longview, Texas, Robey was a First Team All-GSC pick the past two seasons. Playing and starting in all 58 games, he hit .371 while leading the squad with 86 hits, 45 walks, nine sacrifice flies, and 30 stolen bases. Robey finished with 18 doubles, two triples, two home runs, scored 56 runs, and had 59 RBI from his leadoff position. His 232 at-bats this year stands second all-time at Southern Arkansas, while his 164 assists on the infield matched the second best season total.

The three seniors helped lead the Muleriders to their first-ever national No. 1 ranking in school history earlier in the year, to a 46-12 record, which matches the best season win total at SAU, and to the semi-finals of the NCAA Division II South Central Region tournament.

By virtue of being selected on the all-region first teams, Long and Jones will advance for consideration on the respective All-America teams.

CLEVELAND, Miss. – Scratching its way to a 9-8 win over sixth-ranked Abilene Christian Sunday at Ferriss Field, Southern Arkansas advanced to face No. 1 Delta State in the semi-finals of the NCAA Division II South Central Region tournament, but the Statesmen pulled out a 5-3 victory to end the Muleriders’ season.

With the tournament bracket set-up, SAU had to play back-to-back games Sunday, facing DSU in a late contest.

Trailing 7-2 after seven innings, Southern Arkansas scored seven runs in the final two frames to eliminate the Wildcats (44-17) from the tourney, plating the winning run on a bases-loaded hit batter. With two outs, the ninth-ranked Muleriders got five runs to knot it in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by centerfielder Tyler Maag’s bases clearing triple. All five runs were unearned in the inning as they were aided by two ACU errors.

Following an Abilene Christian run in the ninth, SAU, again with two away, filled the bags in the bottom half and designated hitter Nick Smith came home with the deciding run when Maag was plunked by the first pitch delivered to him. That set up the showdown against Delta State, with the winner earning the right to face Ouachita Baptist Monday in the championship game.

Southern Arkansas took a 2-0 lead in the third on an RBI double from catcher Brandon Graves and a sacrifice fly off the bat of shortstop Pat Robey. Brandon Wellborn, in only his third start of the season, kept the Muleriders in it early, carrying a no-hitter into the fourth inning before consecutive singles from Anthony Palasini and J.T. Taylor gave the Statesmen their first run.

Wellborn was lifted in the seventh after giving up a leadoff walk and single, replaced by Aaron Terry, who got the win against Abilene Christian. After getting the first batter swinging, consecutive hit batters brought in the tying run and hastened Terry’s exit and brought on Adam Anderson, who also struck out the first hitter he faced before giving up consecutive singles that plated three more DSU runs. Brian Byrd became the fourth pitcher of the inning, eventually getting a lineout to end the frame.

But the damage had been done as Delta State’s four runs in the inning held up as SAU managed only a solo run the rest of the way, coming in the eighth.

The Statesmen got their five runs on six hits, while Southern Arkansas also had six hits, but committed two errors and stranded seven runners, including the bases loaded in the eighth.

Palasini had three of DSU’s hits and drove in two runs, while Taylor contributed two hits and also had two RBI.

The Muleriders’ hits came off the bat of six different players, with second baseman Cannon Lester’s double driving in the run in the eighth.

Cody Kelley (5-0) went seven innings in getting the win for Delta State, while Levi Bishop tossed the final two for his ninth save.

Wellborn (2-2) took the hard luck loss, scattering four hits over his six innings. The three runs against him were earned, and he walked six while striking out two.

Coming out of the loser’s bracket, the Statesmen (48-11) needed two wins against undefeated Ouachita Baptist Monday, but the Tigers (47-14) used a convincing 8-1 victory to advance to the NCAA Division II World Series that starts Saturday in Sauget, Ill.

The loss was the end of a phenomenal season by SAU (46-12) as they reached the 40-win plateau for the third consecutive year and reached the No. 1 ranking in the country in April for the first time in school history. Southern Arkansas’ 46 victories matches the highest season win total set by the 1987 NAIA World Series team that finished third in the nation.

CLEVELAND, Miss. – Ninth-ranked Southern Arkansas bounced back from Friday’s loss to Ouachita Baptist by walloping Texas A&M-Kingsville, 15-3, Saturday at Ferriss Field in the NCAA Division II South Central Region tournament.

The second seed Muleriders were dropped into the elimination bracket by the fifth-seeded Tigers’ 5-2 win Friday while six seed A&M-Kingsville got there via a 9-3 setback to top-seeded No. 1 Delta State.

SAU’s (45-11) victory Saturday was their first-ever meeting with the Javelinas (31-31) out of the Lone Star Conference, who made it to the regional by receiving an automatic bid after winning the LSC championship. Southern Arkansas pounded out 17 hits in racking up the win, setting a new school season record for that category in the process with their second hit of the game on third baseman James Schroeder’s leadoff double in the second inning. Schroeder’s two-bagger gave the Muleriders 655 hits on the year, passing the old mark of 654 set in 2004, which coincidentally, was also set at Ferriss Field in that season’s region tournament.

SAU used a six-run fifth inning and got four in the eighth on leftfielder John Long’s first career grand slam in piling up the runs. They added a pair in the third and had three more in the sixth for all their scoring, while working around three errors and stranding 11 runners. The Javelinas had nine hits, made two errors, and left eight on base.

True freshman Hayden Simpson (10-0) worked eight strong innings in picking up the win, limiting Texas A&M-Kingsville to a single run over his first seven innings before they touched him for two in his final frame, which were both unearned. Simpson gave up a total of eight hits, only one earned run of the three, walked two, and struck out seven. Thomas Tillery pitched the ninth, offering up a hit and walk, while fanning two.

Long’s blast, which almost hit the flag pole in dead centerfield, was his team-leading 18th of the season. He added three singles to finish with four hits, drove in five runs, drew a walk, and scored four runs. Schroeder also had four hits, adding another double for two in the game, and had two RBI. First baseman Tim Dellwo chipped in three hits, including a triple that drove in the two runs in the third, and finished with three RBI. Right fielder David Aubrey also had a pair of RBI with a single in the sixth.

Taylor Everett and Joe Hamon had two hits apiece to lead the Javelinas, with Hamon having a double.

A&M-Kingsville sent four pitchers to the mound, with starter Josh Livingston (5-6) taking the loss. He worked four innings, giving up five hits, five earned runs, and three walks, while striking out three.

Southern Arkansas now plays in an elimination game Sunday, tentatively set for 3:30 p.m., against the loser of Saturday’s late contest between No. 6 Abilene Christian and 26th-ranked Ouachita Baptist. The winner of the ACU-OBU game will face Delta State at noon Sunday. The winner of the Southern Arkansas and loser of the Delta State games will square off Sunday night following the Muleriders’ afternoon contest.

CLEVELAND, Miss. - Due to excessive rain in the Cleveland area, Thursday’s scheduled games in the NCAA Division II South Central Region baseball tournament have been postponed until Friday.

The original tournament game times and schedule will remain the same with Friday now being the opening day of the tourney. Third-seeded and 16th-ranked West Alabama faces fourth-seeded No. 6 Abilene Christian at 11 a.m., ninth-ranked Southern Arkansas, seeded second, squares off against fifth-seeded No. 26 Ouachita Baptist at 3 p.m., while top seed and host No. 1 Delta State takes on six seed and unranked Texas A&M-Kingsville at 7 pm.

The tournament games are set to be broadcast live on internet TV. The free broadcasts can be found by logging on to the NCAA website at www.ncaa.com or the Gulf South Conference site at www.gulfsouthconference.org.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – It is another first for baseball in Division II as the NCAA South Central Region Tournament will be available free to parents and fans from across the country on live broadband television at their own computer screens. The schools involved in the Regional from the Gulf South Conference and Lone Star Conference along with the initiative from the GSC Office and the cooperation from the NCAA and Penn Atlantic have paved a way to provide the television production to the internet, bringing NCAA baseball into homes across the nation.

Penn Atlantic serves as the host site as it was for the GSC Baseball Tournament but all fans need to do is log on to www.ncaa.com and follow the direct link on the website to catch the free broadcasts. There will also be a link from the GSC Website, www.gulfsouthconference.org, enabling fans to click in and catch the live action.

Providing play-by-play for all the games is GSC Baseball Contact Michael Banks. Banks, who earned a degree in broadcasting from the University of Alabama, will be joined in the booth by different coaches, administrators and staff from the region, giving you a comprehensive view of the four-day championship event in Cleveland, Miss. beginning Thursday, May 15.

First pitch is Thursday at 11 am, when No. 3 seed West Alabama takes on fourth-seeded Abilene Christian. No. 2 Southern Arkansas squares off against fifth-seeded Ouachita Baptist at 3 pm while top seed and host Delta State faces No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville at 7 pm. All times are Central and schedule is subject to change. Please log on to www.ncaa.com or www.gulfsouthconference.org for updated schedules and times.

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Ninth-ranked Southern Arkansas begins play in the NCAA Division II South Central Region baseball tournament on the campus of Delta State at Dave “Boo” Ferriss Field in Cleveland, Miss., Thursday, facing No. 26 Ouachita Baptist at 3 p.m. in the second game of the tourney. The Muleriders (44-10) are the second seed, while the Tigers (43-14) are seeded fifth.

For the second year in a row, four teams from the Gulf South Conference were selected to participate in the regional, which is scheduled for May 15-18. Following a double-elimination format, the regional will feature three games each day Thursday through Saturday, and potentially two on Sunday.

Delta State (45-9) hosts the regional for the 11th time in school history and is the number one seed in the tourney. The Statesmen collected their 11th GSC baseball championship last week and are currently tied with Mount Olive (N.C.) as the No. 1 team in the nation in this week’s Collegiate Baseball poll. Delta State will play sixth-seeded and unranked Texas A&M-Kingsville (31-29) at 7 p.m. in Thursday’s final game, while third-seeded No. 16 West Alabama (45-11) will face fourth-seeded No. 6 Abilene Christian (43-15) at 11 a.m. in the tournament’s opening game.

Delta State, and Texas A&M-Kingsville out of the Lone Star Conference, each received an automatic bid to the regional for having won their respective league tournaments. Abilene Christian was defeated by A&M-Kingsville in their conference tournament final.

Thursday’s game will be the fifth meeting of the season between SAU and OBU with Southern Arkansas holding a 3-1 edge in their four games thus far. They took two of three games in the teams’ regular season series and then eliminated Ouachita Baptist from the GSC tournament last Monday with a 12-6 win. The Muleriders are winless in three games against Delta State this year, split two games with West Alabama and swept three games at Abilene Christian in February, and have not faced Texas A&M-Kingsville this season.

There are eight NCAA regional tournaments across the nation with the winner of each advancing to the NCAA Division II College World Series May 24-31 at GCS Park in Sauget, Ill. GCS Park is home to the Gateway Grizzlies, a minor league team in the Frontier League. The park is located just outside the St. Louis, Mo., metropolitan area.

Tickets for the South Central Region tournament are now on sale through the Delta State Athletics box office. Only all-tournament passes will be pre-sold. The all-tournament package is $25 for adults and $20 for senior citizens and students. Single session tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for senior citizens and students. Championship game tickets on Sunday are $10 and $8, respectively. For ticket information, contact the Delta State Athletic Department at 662-846-4300.

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas pitcher/utility player Cheyenne Savony and second baseman Joanna Jones have been named to the 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI Softball Team. Savony was selected to the first team, while Jones was honored on the second team.

A 5-6 senior from Kilgore, Texas, Savony sports a 3.96 cumulative GPA in athletic training. She was honored last year as a member of the Gulf South Conference Spring All-Academic Team, is a three-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll, a six-time member of the SAU President’s List, and a three-time member of the SAU Dean’s List.

Savony was a First Team All-GSC selection this season, after being a second team pick her sophomore year of 2005. Three times she was selected over her four-year career as the GSC West Division Pitcher of the Week.

Savony hit .319 this season, leading the squad with eight doubles and 14 walks, and had one home run and 14 RBI. She led the team with 28 appearances in the circle, compiling a 5-12 record and 4.12 ERA, adding a save and 66 strikeouts.

Jones, a 5-5 senior out of Needville, Texas, holds a 3.86 cumulative GPA in psychology, with a minor in sociology. Named to last year’s GSC Academic Honor Roll, she is also a member of the SAU President’s List and a two-time member of the SAU Dean’s List.

Jones was a First Team All-GSC selection the past two seasons for the Lady Muleriders after transferring from Bossier Parish (La.) Community College. She received the Outstanding Softball Athlete Award at Southern Arkansas this year.

Jones led SAU this season with a .392 batting average, 29 runs scored, 49 hits, six home runs, a .600 slugging percentage, a .444 on-base percentage, and 23 stolen bases. She had six doubles, a triple, and 16 RBI from her leadoff position.

By virtue of being selected to the first team, Savony now advances for consideration for selection to the Academic All-America Team.

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Second-ranked Delta State closed the door on No. 7 Southern Arkansas’ bid for the 2008 Gulf South Conference championship with an 11-2 win in the semi-finals Wednesday at USA Stadium.

The Statesmen (44-9) used three innings to power past the Muleriders (44-10), plating four runs each in the fifth and ninth frames, and three in the sixth, all coming on 12 hits. DSU overcame three errors and left five stranded on base. SAU was limited to six hits by Delta State starter Kenny Smalley and reliever Marcus Wilson, committed one error, and left eight runners on.

Southern Arkansas struck first on second baseman Cannon Lester’s fourth home run of the season, a solo shot in the third, before the Statesmen rallied in the fifth. The sophomore was most of the Muleriders’ offense in the game, being responsible for both runs as his single in the fifth drove the other one home. Lester’s two hits also led the team.

Smalley kept SAU’s hitters at bay, giving up only Lester’s homer and a double from third baseman James Schroeder for extra bases. He went six innings to improve to 9-2 with the win, surrendering the six hits, both runs, only one earned, and three walks, while striking out four. Wilson pitched three shutout innings the rest of the way for his first save.

Shortstop Devin Goodwin had three hits, including a double, and first baseman Steven Oswald drove in four runs behind two hits, including a solo home run in the fifth, to lead DSU.

Cody Jones (9-2) suffered his second loss of the tourney, going 5 1/3 innings. He gave up eight hits, seven earned runs, and one walk, while fanning two.

Delta State advanced to the championship game, which followed the Southern Arkansas contest, and defeated Montevallo 7-5 to claim the overall GSC crown.

Centerfielder Tyler Maag was the lone Mulerider to make the GSC All-Tournament team, hitting .333 in leading SAU to its 3-2 mark. Maag was 6 for 18 at the plate, including a pair of doubles and home runs, and drove in nine runs.

The Statesmen and Montevallo placed four players each on the team, with Smalley being named the most outstanding player. DSU was also represented by Goodwin, and outfielders Michael Niemann and Hunter Jobes. Catcher Ryan Norman, pitcher Nate Russ, and outfielders Eric Moore and Brantley Clay made up the Falcon contingent. Valdosta State starting pitcher Glen Lemke and Ouachita Baptist catcher Jim Streicher rounded out the team.

Southern Arkansas now waits for the South Central Region tournament and figures to go in as the second seed. The tourney, scheduled for May 15-18, will most likely be hosted by Delta State in Cleveland, Miss.

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Seventh-ranked Southern Arkansas knocked Montevallo into the loss column Tuesday in the Gulf South Conference tournament, claiming a 3-1 win at USA Stadium.

The Muleriders, who took it on the chin, 12-3, from the Falcons in the tourney’s opening game on Saturday, handed them their only defeat so far in this year’s event. SAU, No. 2 Delta State, and Montevallo are the only teams remaining in the tournament, all with 3-1 records.

Jeremy Jenkins (9-4) delivered a gutty performance on the mound for Southern Arkansas in keeping the Falcons at bay, tossing a complete game win. Montevallo had scored a combined 29 runs in their previous three tournament games before Jenkins limited them to one. The senior gave up nine hits in his nine innings of work while holding the Falcons to just a solo home run from catcher Ryan Norman in the third inning. Jenkins gave up three walks and struck out three, stranded nine Montevallo base runners, and was aided by two double plays from his infield, including one he initiated himself.

The Muleriders’ bats didn’t kick in till the fourth as Falcon starter Jason Sheehan kept them hitless until then. Second baseman Cannon Lester led off the inning with a single and leftfielder John Long followed suit, but the potential scoring opportunity died later on an infield double play.

SAU made up for it in the fifth however, when with one away, right fielder David Aubrey and designated hitter Nick Smith had consecutive singles. Centerfielder Tyler Maag, who’s been the team’s most consistent bat in the tourney, then doubled down the left field line to bring both runs home and put Southern Arkansas ahead for good.

The Muleriders added an insurance run in the seventh when catcher Tyler Alston led off with an infield single in the hole on the left side and advanced to second on a throwing error from the shortstop. Smith then banged a double into the right field corner and went to third as the ball was misplayed, plating Alston.

SAU had a chance to add to their total in the eighth, but Lester, who had reached on a hit by pitch, tried to stretch it to third on a single from first baseman Tim Dellwo, but was gunned down. The same thing happened with Dellwo next as he tried to score from first on third baseman James Schroeder’s double, but was shot down at home on a relay from left to the shortstop to the plate.

Montevallo kept Southern Arkansas fans on edge, getting two aboard in the eighth before Jenkins started his double play, and then placing runners at second and third with one away in the final frame before Jenkins got a strikeout and groundout to get out of the jam and seal the win.

The Muleriders had nine hits in the game, led by Smith’s two, including the double. Seven other SAU players each added one hit apiece.

Sheehan (1-2) took the loss, tossing five innings. He allowed five hits, two earned runs, and a walk, while fanning three.

Southern Arkansas now faces second-ranked Delta State at 1 p.m. Wednesday in another elimination game. The winner will take on the Falcons immediately following for the GSC championship.

Photos by Aaron Morris, SAU sports information

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – A record day propelled seventh-ranked Southern Arkansas to a 12-6 win over No. 21 Ouachita Baptist Monday at USA Stadium, eliminating the Tigers from the Gulf South Conference tournament. The Muleriders are the GSC West Division second-seed while OBU was the West third-seed.

It was the third win for SAU (43-9) in four games against Ouachita Baptist (43-14) this season, having taken two of three in their earlier conference series in April. The victory keeps Southern Arkansas alive in their quest for their second overall league championship while the Tigers go home.

The Muleriders established a new school season record and tied another in the process with the 12 runs driven in and scored. Their 490 RBI on the year moves them past the 1987 team’s 489, while the 12 runs gives them 549 for the season, matching the 2004 squad’s total. Leftfielder John Long’s single in Sunday’s 10-5 win over Harding gave him the new season total bases record with 151, bettering the mark of 150 held by Bob Block (1987) and Tracy Geffre (2002).

SAU matched their second-best season hit total in pounding out 21 against OBU, plating four runs in the second inning and exploding for eight in the sixth for all their scoring. They overcame three errors and leaving 11 runners stranded. Ouachita Baptist got their six runs on 12 hits, played error-free, and also left 11 on.

Southern Arkansas went small-ball in getting their four runs in the second, using three bunt singles among their six hits in the frame. Outfielders David Aubrey and Tyler Maag, and shortstop Pat Robey all bunted their way on, while designated hitter Curtis Gibson’s single, Maag’s bunt, and second baseman Cannon Lester’s two-run single brought in all the runs.

The Tigers kept it close, pushing three runs across in the top of the third, all unearned as the Muleriders committed two errors in the frame. OBU plated a solo in the fourth and two more in the top half of the sixth for a 6-4 advantage, but SAU responded with the eight-run onslaught in the bottom half that Ouachita Baptist never recovered from.

Maag kick-started the sixth in leading off and delivering the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for his second home run of the tournament. That was the first of three consecutive hits to start the frame and part of nine total in the inning. Southern Arkansas had five consecutive hits at one point, with catcher Tyler Alston’s single and pinch-hitter Zane William’s triple driving in two runs each during that span.

Robey and third baseman James Schroeder led the Muleriders with four hits apiece, each driving in a run. Lester, Alston, Williams, and Maag all had two RBI in the game, and every SAU player had at least one hit in the game.

Brian Byrd (2-0), who had the save in the Harding win, went 3 1/3 innings in relief to pick up the win, scattering five hits while holding the Tigers scoreless. He walked one and struck out two. Adam Anderson had a strong performance in his start on the mound, giving up seven hits in his 5 2/3 innings. Of the six runs allowed, only three were earned, and he walked five and struck out four.

OBU used four pitchers, with Alex Smith (3-2) taking the loss in surrendering the first four runs in the sixth. He pitched four innings, gave up seven hits and the four earned runs, while fanning two.

Southern Arkansas now advances to face Montevallo Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. The Falcons sent the Muleriders to the loser’s bracket portion of the tourney Saturday with a 12-3 win.

Photos by Aaron Morris, SAU sports information

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

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Southern Arkansas’ late season struggles continued as Montevallo handed the seventh-ranked Muleriders a 12-3 setback in the opening game of the 2008 Gulf South Conference tournament Saturday at USA Stadium.

The Falcons (34-23) pounded out 15 hits and took advantage of two costly SAU fielding errors in jumping out to a 9-1 advantage by the fifth inning. Southern Arkansas (41-9) had to play uphill all game and never got any momentum going as they dropped their third consecutive game for the first time this season. Following two losses at Delta State last weekend, the Muleriders have now lost five of their past nine games.

Montevallo plated three runs in the second inning, all unearned, when with one out and runners at first and second, a potential inning-ending double play was blown on a high throw from third to second that later allowed all three runs to cross. After getting two runs across in the fifth, a fielding error at second, that could have been ruled a hit, kept that frame alive as the Falcons pushed three more unearned runs across for a total of five in the inning.

Montevallo added solo runs in the third and seventh, and two more in the ninth for all their scoring. Their 15 hits were the most allowed by Mulerider pitchers since an opening-series 12-10 win at Abilene Christian on Feb. 8. The Falcons played error-free, stranded eight, and scored nine of their 12 runs when there were two outs.

SAU couldn’t find a timely hit, finishing with eight, while committing three errors and leaving a whopping 13 men on base, including the bags full in the second and fifth.

Southern Arkansas ace Cody Jones was looking for his first win in his last four starts, but suffered his only loss of the year following three straight no-decisions. The senior lefty is now 9-1 on the season after suffering nine runs, but only three of them earned. He allowed eight hits, while walking two and striking out four in 4 2/3 innings. Jeremy Jenkins tossed the final 4 1/3, giving up three earned runs.

Nate Russ (3-4) took the win in relief of starter Zac Blakney, who was staked to the 9-1 lead, but exited after just 4 1/3 innings when the Muleriders loaded the bases on him in the fifth. Russ kept SAU in check, scattering three hits over his 4 2/3 innings, while walking one and fanning five. Blakney surrendered Southern Arkansas’ three runs, all earned.

Eric Moore and Brantley Clay each had three hits for Montevallo, with Moore driving in three and Clay two. Clay had a triple and double while Moore had a pair of two-baggers. B.J. Holloway finished with two hits and three RBI.

Leftfielder John Long gave the Muleriders their first run in the third, smashing his 17th home run of the season. He and second baseman Cannon Lester had two hits apiece, with Lester getting a double.

The Falcons are the East Division’s third seed while SAU is the West two seed.

Southern Arkansas now plays again in the early game at 9:30 a.m. Sunday and will face the loser between 11th-ranked East first seed Valdosta State and West fourth seed Harding.

Photos by Aaron Morris, SAU sports information

By: Houston Taylor

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas matched Delta State with nine overall selections to lead the West Division on this year’s All-Gulf South Conference Baseball Team, and Mulerider starting pitcher Hayden Simpson was tabbed as the division’s Freshman of the Year.

Simpson is only the second SAU player to ever win the award, compiling an impressive 9-0 record in his rookie season. The 5-10, 170-pound Magnolia native led the league in holding opponents to a .199 batting average, tied for first in the conference and 12th in the nation in wins, led the GSC and was 17th nationally in hits allowed per nine innings at 6.44, and led the conference in giving up only 36 total hits. Simpson also finished in the top nine in six other statistical categories in the league.

Simpson has six starts in 14 appearances on the year with a 3.75 ERA in 50 1/3 innings of work. His nine victories are tied for the team lead and he currently has 50 strikeouts.

Southern Arkansas placed five players on the First Team All-GSC squad and had four selected to the second team. Joining Simpson on the first team are shortstop Pat Robey, outfielder John Long, starting pitcher Cody Jones, and relief pitcher Jeremy Jenkins. Catcher Brandon Graves, second baseman Cannon Lester, third baseman James Schroeder, and outfielder Tyler Maag made the second team.

Robey (5-9, 170, Longview, Texas) is hitting .393 on the season and leads the Muleriders with 75 hits, 40 walks, eight sacrifice flies, and 30 stolen bases. The senior has 17 doubles, a triple, two home runs, and 54 RBI from his leadoff spot. Robey’s eight sac flies are tied for first in the conference and seventh in the nation. He is a repeat selection on the conference’s first team.

Long (5-9, 175, Smackover) leads the team with a .437 average, 20 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs, 66 RBI, and an .868 slugging percentage. The senior is first in the GSC and fourth in Division II in slugging percentage, leads the league and is 19th nationally in RBI per game (1.35), and is first in the conference and 20th in the country in total bases (145).

Jones (6-2, 180, Springhill, La.) was also a first team selection in 2006 and was a second team pick last year after missing the first half of the season with an injury. The senior was named to two All-America teams following his sophomore year. Jones’ 9-0 record on the year matches Simpson’s for the team and conference lead. He leads the squad with 13 starts and 65 strikeouts, compiling a 3.59 ERA. Jones has given up only 15 walks in a team-leading 87 2/3 innings of work. His nine victories thus far gives him 32 in his four-year career, matching the school record.

A second team all-conference honoree last year, Jenkins (5-11, 175, Longview, Texas) leads the squad this season with 20 appearances, getting eight starts. The senior has an 8-4 record and a 3.26 ERA, striking out 60 batters in his 69 innings of work.

Graves is a 6-0, 200-pound junior from Hewitt, Texas, hitting .388 with 16 doubles, a triple, nine home runs, and 45 RBI, with a team-leading .506 on-base percentage.

A 5-11, 180-pound sophomore out of El Dorado, Lester is hitting .405 with 16 doubles, a triple, three home runs, and 34 RBI.

Schroeder is a 5-11, 195-pound junior from Montgomery, Texas. He has scored a team-leading 67 runs, and is hitting .372 with 15 doubles, nine home runs, and 52 RBI.

A 5-9, 180-pound junior, Maag hails from North Canton, Ohio, and is a repeat selection on the second team. Hitting .342, he has 14 doubles, a triple, six home runs, and 45 RBI. Maag was named an All-South Central Region Rawlings/ABCA Gold Glove recipient last year. He has committed only one error from his centerfield position in the past two seasons.

Catcher Rickey Noland (Delta State) and first baseman Destan Makonnen (Ouachita Baptist) were named GSC West Division Co-Players of the Year. The division Coach of the Year will be named after the conference tournament.

By: Houston Taylor

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas placed three members on the 2008 All-Gulf South Conference Softball Team, released Wednesday by the league office. The Lady Muleriders are represented by second baseman Joanna Jones and utility player Cheyenne Savony on the first team, while first baseman Kirstie Reed was a second team selection.

Jones, a 5-5 senior from Needville, Texas (Bossier Parish CC), garners first team honors for the second consecutive year. She led this year’s squad by hitting .392 with six home runs and a .600 slugging percentage. Jones also was the team leader with 29 runs scored, 49 hits, 23 stolen bases, and had a .444 on-base percentage. She also added six doubles, a triple, and finished with 16 RBI from her leadoff spot.

Savony, a 5-6 senior out of Kilgore, Texas, was the team’s leading pitcher and played left field when she wasn’t in the circle. She hit .319, led SAU with eight doubles, had a home run and 14 RBI, and a team-high 13 walks. Savony had 16 starts in 28 appearances in the circle, compiling a 5-12 record with a 4.12 ERA. Her 10 complete games and 66 strikeouts led the staff. Savony was a second team all-conference pick in 2005.

A 5-9 senior from Little Rock, Reed hit .323 with six doubles, five home runs, and a team-best 21 RBI. She had a .535 slugging percentage and led the squad defensively with a .986 fielding percentage.

Arkansas Tech’s Dana Aldrich was selected as both the West Division Player and Pitcher of the Year, while Ouachita Baptist utility player Kristen Rigsbee was named the West Freshman of the Year. Tech’s Gidget Pambianchi received the West Coach of the Year honor.

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Kristina Daily and Cody Jones were honored Wednesday with the coveted Auburn Smith Awards at the annual Southern Arkansas All-Sports banquet in the Grand Hall of the Donald W. Reynolds Center. Also receiving laurels were Rachel Vinsant and Johnny Fields, being named this year’s Scholar-Athlete Award winners. Director of Athletics, Jay Adcox, presented the annual honors.

The Auburn Smith Award, given annually to both a female and male student-athlete, is the most prestigious honor a student-athlete can receive at SAU. The award is named in memory of Auburn Smith, who served as athletics director, administrator, coach, and instructor at Southern Arkansas. Athletic ability, performance, character, and scholastic achievement are all considerations by a selection committee of head coaches and athletic administrators at the university who select the honorees.

Daily is a 5-9 middle blocker for the Lady Mulerider volleyball team. A senior from Houston, Texas, she sports a 3.62 GPA in accounting, with a minor in political science.

Daily was named a First Team All-Gulf South Conference selection this season after being a Second Team All-GSC pick her junior year. She was named to both the West Florida Regional Crossover and Christian Brothers All-Tournament Teams in 2006. Daily finished her four-year career at Southern Arkansas as the all-time leader in total attacks with 2,934, and total kills with 1,224.

She has been selected to the GSC All-Academic Team the past two years, and is a four-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll. Daily has twice been named to the SAU President’s list, with perfect 4.00 GPA’s in those two semesters, and is a three-time member of the SAU Dean’s List.

A 6-2, 180-pound starting pitcher on the Mulerider baseball team, Jones is the second consecutive baseball student-athlete to win the Auburn Smith honor. A senior out of Springhill, La., Jones is majoring in health, kinesiology and recreation.

With a 9-0 win-loss record on the mound this year, Jones has helped lead Southern Arkansas to a 41-8 record and an earlier national No. 1 ranking, the first in the program’s storied history. His nine pitching victories thus far have enabled him to tie the career record at SAU with 32 wins.

Injured most of his junior season, Jones was still named Second Team All-Gulf South Conference in 2007. That followed a sophomore season, when as the ace of the staff, he guided the Muleriders to the GSC championship. That 2006 season, he was named third team All-America by both the Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches’ Association and the National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association. Jones was also a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week in 2006, and was named First Team All-South Central Region by both the Rawlings/ABCA and NCBWA. That season he was also honored as First Team All-GSC, was named to the GSC All-Tournament Team, and was three times named the GSC West Division Pitcher of the Week. Jones also holds the Southern Arkansas season record with 115 strikeouts. He is a two-time member of the SAU Dean’s List.

The esteemed Scholar-Athlete Award is also given to both a female and male student-athlete. The nominee must have a minimum of a 3.00 GPA, have completed at least 56 semester hours, with at least one semester at SAU. Selection of the honorees is done by a committee considering GPA, athletic accomplishments, and citizenship.

Vinsant, a senior with the Lady Mulerider tennis program, hails from Greenville, Texas, and carries an impressive 3.94 cumulative GPA in biological science, with a minor in Spanish.

Vinsant was named last year to the prestigious ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI First Team. She is a three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete, has been named twice to the Gulf South Conference All-Academic Team, and is a three-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll, and should add to those accolades when this year’s honors are awarded. Vinsant is a five-time member of the Southern Arkansas President’s List carrying a 4.00 GPA for each of those semesters, and is a two-time member of the SAU Dean’s List. On the court, she has been a four-time All-GSC selection, being named first team in her freshman and junior seasons, and was a second team pick in her sophomore year and this season.

Fields is a 6-0, 236-pound tight end for the Mulerider football team. Out of De Soto, Texas, Fields graduated in December with a 3.25 GPA and a B.B.A. in business administration-management.

Fields was named this year to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI Second Team and to the Gulf South Conference All-Academic Team. He is also a four-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll. Fields was rewarded for his efforts on the field this past season by being named Honorable Mention All-America by the Football Gazette, was a Football Gazette Second Team All-Southeast Region selection, and a First Team All-GSC pick. In his sophomore year, he was a Football Gazette Third Team All-Southeast Region honoree, and was named Second Team All-GSC.

In other honors, outstanding athletes were named in their respective fields by their head coaches or sponsors. Daily was named for volleyball, Jones for baseball, Vinsant for tennis, and Fields was named in football. Jada McBryde received the accolade for athletic training, Whitney Taylor for women’s golf, Matthew Martin in men’s golf, Chad Fryar for men’s rodeo, Kendall Mears in both women’s cross country and women’s track, Josh Mitchell for men’s cross country, Michael Wooten in men’s track, Joanna Jones for softball, Kirby Turner in cheerleading, Cory Green for men’s basketball, and Goldie White in women’s basketball.

Dan Gregory, with KVMA/KVMZ radio served as emcee for the evening’s event.

Photos by Aaron Morris, SAU sports information

MONROE, La. – Southern Arkansas’ track teams completed the regular season portion of its schedule Saturday, participating in the annual Louisiana-Monroe Warhawk Classic.

The Muleriders and Lady Muleriders were the lone NCAA Division II institution competing at the meet, going up against a number of Division I representatives. The Sun Belt Conference was represented by host Louisiana-Monroe, Arkansas State, Arkansas-Little Rock, and Louisiana-Lafayette, while Louisiana Tech, Louisiana State, Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Mississippi, and Central Arkansas were also in attendance.

SAU’s women again put on a strong showing in the distance events. After setting the Southern Arkansas record in the 800 meter run in her previous three meets, freshman Bailey Dulaney was going for her fourth consecutive, but fell short in posting her second-best time of the season with a 2:21.85 to place second.

Also competing in the 800 was sophomore Michaela Krcova, finishing fifth with a 2:26.42, just shy of her best time of the year. Freshmen Jessica Gadlin and Samantha Sparks were 11th and 15th, respectively, with Gadlin posting her best time of the season in 2:31.81. Sparks finished in 2:38.17.

Freshman Heather Rochelle continued to better her time in the 1500, placing second with a season-low 4:53.90. Junior Kendall Mears was third in 4:58.20. Freshmen Sarah Banman (5:53.51) and Lindsay Spooner (6:11.86) rounded ou