WARRENSBURG, Mo. – No. 5 Central Missouri ended No. 29 Southern Arkansas' season with a 4-3 decision in an elimination game Saturday in the NCAA Division II South Central region baseball tournament at Crane Stadium.
 
It was the first loss the Muleriders (37-17) had suffered at the hands of the Mules (46-8), running the all-time series to 4-1.
 
UCM scored its decisive run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a two-base throwing error by SAU junior third baseman Brady Capshaw (Keeneland, Texas) that allowed designated hitter Ben Cox to score from second base.
 
Southern Arkansas out-hit Central Missouri 8-5 and rallied from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game with two runs in the top of the seventh inning.
 
The Mules got on the board first with a single run in the fourth inning, with shortstop Bret Schwartz getting a leadoff single, moving to second and third on a sacrifice and groundball out, and then scoring on a wild pitch.
 
The Muleriders evened it in the fifth on a run-scoring single off the bat of senior center fielder Gavan McCauley (Prescott).
 
UCM took the 3-1 lead with a pair of runs in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from third baseman Jordan Coons and a fielder's choice bunt by first baseman John Oropeza.
 
Senior second baseman Jody Spain (Richland, Texas) tied it up for SAU with a two-run single up the middle in the seventh.
 
Central Missouri won it in the bottom half though, with Cox coaxing a leadoff walk from Southern Arkansas starting pitcher Janson Carr (New Boston, Texas) to start the frame.  Junior right-hander Jon Mark Abbey (Paris, Texas) replaced Carr and a sacrifice bunt moved Cox to second.  Cotter then hit a grounder to third, but Capshaw's throw to first was high and the ground-rule allowed Cox to score from second with the eventual winning run.
 
The Muleriders looked to rally in the ninth, with senior Rafael Thomas (Lufkin, Texas) pinch-hitting and leading off with a single to right-center, and moving to second on a single through the left side from junior left fielder Ryan Bell (Whitehouse, Texas).  Spain grounded into a double play though, with Thomas moving to third, but McCauley's swing on a 3-2 pitch was popped up to first that ended the game.
 
Mule starter Kyle Jackson (8-1) earned the win, striking out five in 7 2/3 innings of work.  He gave up three runs on six hits and three walks.
 
Travis Unthank got his 10th save, allowing two hits in 1 1/3 innings.
 
Carr (5-3) suffered the loss, surrendering four runs on four hits and a pair of walks through six innings, while fanning one.
 
Bell had three hits to lead SAU.
 
Five different players had UCM's five hits.
 
Southern Arkansas ends the season having made its fifth consecutive NCAA regional appearance and reaching the 30-win plateau for the 12th consecutive season and for the 21st time in the past 22 years.
 
Central Missouri advanced to Saturday's late game where they defeated St. Edward's (Texas) 7-6 in 12 innings to move to Sunday's championship game against St. Mary's (Texas).  They will have to win twice against the tournament-undefeated Rattlers, with the eventual winner moving to the Division II baseball championship May 26 – June 2 in Cary, N.C.