MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Senior southpaw
Garrett Walker delivered seven strong innings of three-hit baseball and in the process stranded eight Bison baserunners as No. 17 Southern Arkansas plated three runs in the seventh inning to back the phenomenal start in a 3-0 win over Harding in the Great American Conference opener from Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field on Sunday evening.
The Muleriders improve to 8-3 overall and 4-0 in league play after snapping the Bisons' (9-4, 3-1 GAC) nine-game winning streak.
Harding put a baserunner on against Walker (2-0) in all seven of his innings, including runners at second and third in the sixth and a runner at third in the seventh, but the lefty didn't break as he exited unscathed. He finished with five strikeouts, while allowing four walks and a hit-by-pitch before giving way to
Matt Kortendick who worked around single baserunners in the eighth and ninth innings to pick up his second save of the season. Harding was left with at least a runner at third in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.
Harding starting pitcher Austin Allen dueled with Walker throughout the night as he went 6.1 innings and allowed just two hits, two walks and a hit-by-pitch, but it was his 1/3 of an inning that proved to be the difference.
The Muleriders had an opportunity to strike early against Allen as they left runners at the corners in the third inning. In the seventh,
Brett McGee walked to leadoff the frame and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Dakota Wright. Brian Tims then took over for Allen moments before Southern Arkansas struck for the game's first run.
Cooper King, the first batter Tims faced, belted a double off of the leftfield wall to plate McGee and give SAU a 1-0 lead. King would score on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt by
Josh Walker after the former was moved to third on a single by
Zach Muldoon. Muldoon scored the final run as
Jansen McCurdy singled into left field to give the Muleriders a 3-0 advantage in the four-hit, three-run frame that followed the stretch.
The Muleriders and Bisons will decide the series on Monday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader. Live coverage links are available at
www.MuleriderAthletics.com.