ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Kenneth Tabor pitched a complete-game with nine strikeouts while the offense struck for 11 runs on nine hits as the top-seeded Southern Arkansas baseball team staved off elimination with an 11-3 win over No. 2-seed Arkansas Tech on Saturday afternoon at Clyde Berry Field in Arkadelphia.
TEAM RECORDS
(2) Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (34-21)
(1) Southern Arkansas Muleriders (39-13)
PITCHING DECISIONS
W –
Kenneth Tabor (11-1)
L – Trent Armstrong (5-5)
S – NONE
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Muleriders pushed across the first run of the game as Jacob Richardson scored from third base on a wild pitch in the second inning. Prior to that, Richardson got to third on a wild pitch after he had initially reached base and advanced to second on a throwing error by the Wonder Boys' third baseman to lead off the inning.
- In the third, SAU added another run as Blake Hall reached base and scored on a four-base error on the centerfielder on a ball that was hit to right-centerfield and caromed off his glove.
- The Muleriders then doubled their advantage to 4-0 thanks to a RBI double by James Trevanion and a fielder's choice RBI by Cory Gallegos.
- Tech's first runs came in the fifth inning as Kyle Gibbs hit a two-run home run to make it a 4-2 game. The at-bat prior to that saw the Wonder Boys get their first hit off of SAU starter Kenneth Tabor.
- In the bottom of that inning, SAU got a run back on a solo home run by Trevor Rucker; his 19th of the season. An inning later, SAU added three runs to take an 8-2 lead as Michael Page drew a bases-loaded walk, which was then followed by a two-run single through the left side by Hall.
- The Wonder Boys got a solo home run in the seventh for their third and final run of the game.
- In the eighth, Mark Fontenot crushed a three-run home run over the scoreboard in right field to bring the game to its eventual final of 11-3.
ON THE MOUND
- Kenneth Tabor started for the game for the Muleriders and went the distance as he picked up his 11th win of the season.
- In his complete game effort, Tabor scattered five hits and allowed three earned runs. He also struck out nine batters, the second-most in a game this season for the junior left-hander.
AT THE PLATE
- The Muleriders had nine hits with two leaving the yard. Mark Fontenot, who was 2-for-5, had one of the long balls as he hit a three-run shot in the eighth. Trevor Rucker had the other homer with a solo blast in the fifth inning.
- Rucker's home run was his 19th of the season tying him for the second-most in a single season at SAU and also tied him for the career record as it was his 41st career homer.
- James Trevanion paced the club with a 3-for-4 game that included a double, a run scored, and a run batted in.
ON DECK
The Muleriders now await the winner of the Arkansas-Monticello and Henderson State game currently in progress for another elimination game scheduled for 7 p.m. at Clyde Berry Field in Arkadelphia, Ark..