MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Head Mulerider Baseball Coach Steve Browning notched his 200^th career victory on Saturday night as Southern Arkansas won their sixth-straight game by defeating Central Oklahoma, 11-1 in eight innings on Day Two of the SAU Baseball Invitational at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field.
 
Kenneth Tabor delivered another solid performance on the hill as the sophomore left-hander fired six innings of one-hit baseball, surrendering just two walks, while collecting a career-high nine strikeouts to improve to 2-0 on the year. Jordan Jackson and Garrett Truitt each worked a strong scoreless inning in relief as the trio held the Bronchos (2-1) to only a pair of hits.
 
Offensively, the Muleriders plated their 11 runs on nine hits, while collecting 14 total for the evening. Central Oklahoma's first base knock didn't come until the top of the sixth inning, but Tabor, Jackson and Truitt had all the run support they would need by the Mulerider-half of the fifth.
 
The first Southern Arkansas run of the game came via the bat of Austin Bishoff who blasted a 2-2 pitch into the Wilkins Stadium concourse next door, giving SAU a 1-0 lead. In the fifth inning, a pair of one-out singles by David LaFleur and Zach Silvers and a walk to Bishoff loaded the bases for Keaton Miller who connected for a two-RBI single through the left side, scoring LaFleur and Silvers to put SAU up 3-0.
 
The Muleriders weren't done in the fifth inning as well-executed small-ball produced a run, while energizing a cold Walker Stadium faithful. Byron Brooks followed Miller with a bunt that was placed perfectly down the left field line for a single, setting up a Michael Page squeeze-play that caught the Central Oklahoma infield off guard allowing Page to reach base, while Bishoff crossed for the fourth Mulerider run.
 
After Central Oklahoma scratched a run in the sixth, Trevor Rucker led off the home-half with a double into left field. Rucker would steal third two batters later and would score on an RBI-sacrifice bunt from Silvers. Bishoff cranked his second extra-base hit of the night on the next at-bat with a double to right-center field, scoring LaFleur who reached on a walk.
 
Southern Arkansas closed the door on the Bronchos in the eighth as they took advantage of a pair of wild pitches, a passed ball, and a fielding error that aided two Mulerider runs. Page placed a double down the left field line adding two more and setting the stage for Rucker who, with two outs, singled into left field, driving home Page to implement the run-rule.
 
Page and Silvers led the offensive charge with three hits each, while the former collected a team-high three runs batted in. Bishoff, Miller and Rucker each produced a pair of hits, while Bishoff and Miller both accounted for two RBIs.
 
The Muleriders return to Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field tomorrow afternoon for a Valentine's Day first-pitch slated for 3 p.m. as they conclude play in the SAU Baseball Invitational with an unconventional rubber match with Washburn University.
 
Live stats will be available here: http://www.sidearmstats.com/saumag/baseball/, while live video coverage is available here: https://livestream.com/accounts/10140781. Jeff Harrington will have the call from Goodheart Field.
 
Be sure to visit muleriderathletics.com for pregame and postgame recaps, coach's shows and other information and news regarding the 2016 Mulerider Baseball team.