ENID, Okla. – The Southern Arkansas baseball team kept themselves alive in the 2015 Great American Conference Tournament behind a gem of a performance on the mound by senior right-hander Yumezo Densaki as he tied a career-high in strikeouts with nine and limited Ouachita Baptist to two runs on six hits, helping SAU secure the 4-2 win.
 
With the win, the Muleriders (37-16) will return to David Allen Memorial Ballpark later this evening to take on No. 4-seed Henderson State, who has yet to lose in the tournament. First-pitch for that game is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
In the game against Ouachita Baptist, the Tigers (25-17) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after Reuben Miller doubled home Justin Weigle in the top of the first inning. That score would remain over the next three innings until the Muleriders put together a two-out rally against OBU starter John Franklin Matros.
 
The rally began when Carver Rademacher when Carver Rademacher was hit-by-a-pitch. Byron Reichstein then singled into centerfield, but a fielding error by OBU's centerfielder allowed Rademacher to score and Reichstein to end up at third base. Later in the ensuing at-bat, Reichstein scampered home on a wild pitch to put the Muleriders up 2-1.
 
That one-run lead did not last long, however, as the Tigers got a first-pitch solo homerun out to left field in the top of the fifth by Jace Melby to knot the score at two-all. Densaki rebounded after the game-tying longball and went on to retire the Tigers in the inning without further damage.
 
In the top of the sixth, Densaki retired the Tigers in order for the first time in the game and his offense rewarded him with a run in the bottom of the frame to push SAU back on top 3-1. That tally came home on a double by Billy Germaine which scored Korey Keith who singled with one out and advanced to third on two wild pitches.
 
Densaki was sharp once more in the top of the seventh and the Muleriders added a run of insurance in the bottom half with a two-out single through the right side off the bat of Jon Phillips.
 
In the eighth, Densaki put the leadoff batter on base with a hit-by-pitch, but got a quick fly out and then his battery-mate Justin Buchanan cut down a pinch-runner trying to swipe second base for the second out of the inning. Densaki then came back with a routine grounder to Chris Quinn at shortstop for the final out.
 
In the ninth, Densaki came back out the mound and picked up his ninth strikeout of the game to start the frame, but a fielding error in right field brought the potential tying run to the plate and spelled the end of the outing for Densaki.
 
Coming on in relief of Densaki was Jared Fielden. Fielden promptly disposed of the first batter he faced with a strikeout looking and then closed the door on his second save of the season by inducing a groundout to Quinn at shortstop to end the game.