WARRENSBURG, Mo. – No one said it would be easy. But that certainly did not phase fifth-year head coach Justin Pettigrew‘s squad on Championship Monday from Crane Stadium at Tompkins Field. (5) Southern Arkansas entered the final day of the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament needing two wins over top-seeded and host Central Missouri, a consensus top five team nationally, in order to punch its ticket to the DII Baseball World Series. Through the first five innings of play, the Muleriders battled blow-for-blow with the Mules, before a late offensive surge by UCM served as the difference in the regional final as Central Missouri advanced with a 12-5 win.

Playing their fifth game of the tournament and third of the past 24 hours, the Muleriders (30-16) put forth a noble effort on Monday afternoon as the club used a solid start on two-days rest from sophomore Jacob Womack, while recording eight hits, including three by senior Kobe Morris and two from junior Jacob Martinez.

Southern Arkansas answered a single UCM run in the top of the third with two runs in the bottom of that frame to take a 2-1 lead. Senior Mason Peterson walked to lead off the inning and with one out, Baker doubled to left centerfield that pushed the former to third base. Morris then guided a full-count pitch through the right side to plate Peterson and push Baker to second. Martinez followed with a single to left field that scored Baker and put SAU out front 2-1, but the Muleriders would strand runners at second and third to end the third.

Central Missouri, one of the top offensive teams in the country, pushed across four runs in the next half inning to take a 5-2 through four. That response from UCM ended Womack’s day at 3.1 innings, but the right hander was solid through three as he stranded a pair in the first, worked a perfect second and was a wild pitch away from leaving the third inning unscathed.

Again, Southern Arkansas responded with a two-run fifth inning as SAU put together an offensive charge with two outs as Morris singled to centerfield and scored four pitches later on a double to centerfield by Martinez. McGee then drove in Martinez as he placed a 2-0 pitch into right field to pull Southern Arkansas to within a single run of the UCM lead at 5-4.

However, the Muleriders ran into trouble in the top of the sixth as a three-run home run off the bat of UCM’s Dusty Stroup served as the turning point as the blast staked the Mules to an 8-4 lead which blossomed to a 10-4 advantage after a two-run seventh.

Senior Matt Kortendick was the first reliever out of the bullpen for SAU on Monday as he took over for Womack with one out in the third. He retired the first four batters he faced, before working around a two-out double to end the threat in the fifth inning. With one out in the sixth, UCM found its way offensively against Kortendick with the aforementioned home run opening up the box score for the Mules.

Sophomore Remy Bilodeau took to the mound for the third time in the tournament and managed to work out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam in that two-run seventh for UCM by recording a pop out to Baker at second and a 5-3 double play which was engineered by Morris. Central Missouri added two more runs in the eighth inning and SAU’s final run came across in the bottom half as a sacrifice fly from freshman Chris Lyles chased home Martinez.

Martinez recorded two RBI with Morris, McGee and Lyles accounting for one each. Baker joined Martinez and Morris in the hit column as did McGee and Muldoon. Martinez led SAU with two runs scored, while Baker, Morris and Peterson all scored once.

Monday’s matchup marked the fourth time in SAU’s NCAA Era that the Muleriders advanced to the final day of a regional postseason tournament. SAU first reached the final day in 2004 at the South Region Tournament, again at the 2010 South Regional, and at the 2018 Central Regional; hosted by Southern Arkansas.

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WARRENSBURG, Mo. — A magical 2021 season came to a close for Henderson State on Sunday afternoon as the Reddies fell to No. 3 seed Minnesota State 7-4 in the semifinal round of the NCAA Central Regional.

The loss ends the year for GAC Champion HSU, who finishes with a 27-19 record and as one of the last four teams standing in a stacked Central Region. The Reddies faced the top three seeds at the regional tournament, all of whom were ranked inside the Top-15 nationally, and battled three starting pitchers who were a combined 26-1 on the year.

Henderson, the No. 6 seed, led for the majority of the game against the No. 13 team in the country, Minnesota State. The Reddies took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI double from Kaden Argenbright, then extended their advantage to 3-0 in the second inning on a two-run single from Alec Lewis.

The Mavericks got two runs back in the bottom half of the third to cut their deficit to 3-2, but at that point, both pitchers settled in. MSU’s Brendan Knoll, who gave up five straight hits in the third, proceeded to sit the next 14 Reddie batters down in order, while HSU freshman Ethan Perry, who entered in the fourth, kept Minnesota State off the board for the next four innings.

The contest turned for HSU in the eighth. Clinging to a 3-2 lead, Henderson got back-to-back hits from Argenbright and Lewis to put runners on the corners with no one out. The Mavericks escaped, however, as their All-American reliever Hunter Even left two stranded to keep the score intact.

Minnesota State capitalized on the momentum in the bottom half and used four hits, including a three-run home run, to plate five runs and seize a 7-3 lead.

Down to their final three outs, Henderson refused to go away quietly in the top of the ninth. HSU got a solo home run from Danny Mitchell Jr. to make it 7-4, then got back-to-back singles and a walk to load the bases with two outs. With a chance to pull off another furious comeback, the Reddies saw a full-count strike call go against them, which ended the game for MSU.

Argenbright had three hits and two doubles to lead HSU at the plate, while Lewis finished with two hits and two RBIs. Joe Myers recorded two hits in his final game for the Reddies, which was the 195th of his career.

Perry took the loss despite a terrific performance where he threw four innings, struck out four, and allowed just two runs on four hits. Brayden Bebee entered briefly for Henderson in the eighth, which marked his third appearance in three games at the Central Regional.

Originally picked seventh in the 2021 GAC Preseason Poll, the Reddies won the program’s first conference title in 39 years this spring and earned the school’s second-ever berth to the NCAA Tournament.

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WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Senior Zach Muldoon sent a 2-2 pitch sharply on the ground to third base and the throw home to cut down the winning run in senior Austin Baker was not in time as (5) Southern Arkansas walked off (3) Minnesota State 2-1 in Saturday’s nightcap from Crane Stadium at Tompkins Field. The win, which was highlighted by an outstanding effort from SAU starting pitcher Zach Smith, sends the Muleriders to the winner’s bracket final of the NCAA DII Central Regional where host and top-seeded Central Missouri, a consensus top five team nationally, awaits on Sunday morning in Warrensburg.

The Muleriders (29-14) managed just three hits against the Mavericks’ Nick Altermatt in the win as Baker collected two including a lead-off double in the bottom of the first and a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth; both of which led to him scoring with the first giving Smith an early 1-0 lead and the second sending Southern Arkansas into Sunday unbeaten.

Baker advanced to third on a groundout by classmate Kobe Morrisfollowing the former’s leadoff double and was pushed home on an RBI-groundout from the bat of junior Jacob Martinez. Smith worked around trouble in the top of the second inning as he pitched out of a bases loaded jam with one out after surrendering a solo home run which tied the contest at 1. He also threw around a base runner at third in the top half of the first inning.

Smith stranding the bases loaded in that second frame served as the first of several situations that the right hander pitched out of on Saturday as he delivered a tenacious effort on the hill which saw him scatter nine hits and three walks, while fanning two and allowing only a single run in 8.0 innings of action.

After the damage done by SAU in the first inning, Altermatt faced the minimum in the third, fourth and fifth innings, before the Muleriders managed to get to the Maverick right hander with runners at first and second with no outs in the sixth only to come away empty in the run column as the game remained tied at one entering the seventh. Senior Mason Peterson singled to start the inning; the lone hit allowed to a Mulerider between Baker’s knocks in the first and ninth innings.

For Smith, he worked a quick third inning highlighted by a 6-4-3 double play, faced the minimum in the fourth as sophomore Brett McGeehosed a two-out base runner at second base to end the frame, left two men on in the fifth inning and forced the abandonment of MSU baserunners at the corners in the sixth. A Maverick reached base in both the seventh and eighth innings, but would not make it past first as Smith induced a dozen ground ball outs and eight fly outs in his outing.

Southern Arkansas went back to the well for the ninth inning as sophomore Remy Bilodeau, who was very solid in relief of starter Jacob Womack on Friday, entered in the ninth inning to hold Minnesota State at a single run. Back-to-back two-out singles were left on the base paths as Bilodeau fanned MSU’s Ty Denzer to end the top half of the inning and set the stage for the SAU offense.

Baker’s single started the frame and he moved to third on a fielding error by the Maverick second baseman in Morris’ at bat. Martinez grounded out which moved Morris to second as Baker held at third and an intentional walk to McGee, the lone free pass of the night allowed by Altermatt, loaded the bases for Muldoon who delivered.

The victory over the Mavericks was the first for Southern Arkansas. The Muleriders dropped a 6-3 decision to MSU at the 2014 NCAA DII Central Regional in Russellville, Arkansas, and suffered a 7-2 loss at the 2015 NCAA DII Central Regional in St. Cloud, Minnesota. SAU has won four of its past five against UCM dating back to the 2013 season. The Muleriders topped the Mules 11-6 in the 2018 NCAA DII Central Regional played in Magnolia

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WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The 2021 season came to a close for the Arkansas Tech baseball team on Saturday afternoon as the Wonder Boys fell to top-seeded Central Missouri by a score of 7-4.

The season ends with the Wonder Boys winning 26 games and claiming a share of the GAC Regular Season Championship after going 23-10 in conference play. It was the second regular season GAC title for the Wonder Boys under head coach Dave Dawson. The Wonder Boys then advanced to their first-ever GAC Tournament Championship Game, but ultimately lost to Henderson State.

The Wonder Boys’ season body of work was still more than good enough for them to earn the No. 4-seed and an at-large berth into this year’s Central Region Tournament. It was the second time that the Wonder Boys have made a regional as well.

In the final game of their 2021 season, the Wonder Boys fell behind in the third inning to the No. 2-ranked Mules (41-6) as UCM scored five runs that frame. The Mules went on to score single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 7-0 lead.

The Wonder Boys broke into the run column in the sixth inning on a solo home run out to left field off the bat of Garrett Crews. Two innings later, the Wonder Boys struck for three runs and pulled within that margin thanks to a solo homer by Gabriel Garcia and a two-RBI double in the left-centerfield cap off the bat of Josh Detweiler.

On the mound, the Wonder Boys used three arms with Riyan Rodriguez getting the start. He worked 2.2 innings and then gave way to Mason Griffin (Rogers, Ark.). Griffin pitched the next 4.1 innings and struck out three. Hayes Cox handled the final two innings and did not allow a hit while striking out one.

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For the first time in football, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved a guideline for instant replay officials to complete video reviews in less than two minutes.

This will be an overall expectation for replay officials, and reviews that are exceptionally complicated or involve end-of-game issues should be completed as efficiently as possible without a stated time limit.

The NCAA Football Rules Committee supported this rule change to continue efforts to increase the pace of play.

Additionally, the panel approved a clock administration rule regarding instant replay.

If the game clock expires at the end of a half and replay determines that there was time remaining and the clock should start on the referee’s signal after review, there must be at least three seconds remaining, when the ball should have been declared dead, to restore time to the clock.

If less than three seconds remain on the game clock, the half is over.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The NFCA named SAU Softball senior Christina Hill the Division II Player of the Week for her performances this past weekend at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic in Bentonville, the organization announced this afternoon.

The senior southpaw from Southlake was on fire this past weekend at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic, going 10-14 from the plate with five extra-base hits. She drove in 14 runs over the weekend and crossed the plate nine times herself. She slugged 1.286 for the weekend and owned an on-base percentage of .667.

In game one against Upper Iowa, the southpaw went 4-5 from the plate, scoring four runs and driving in five, with a bases-clearing double in the second inning, followed by an RBI single and RBI double in the fourth inning as the Muleriders set a new single-game record for runs in a game with 23.

Having a career game against the Peacocks, the right fielder managed to one-up herself in game two against Pittsburg State.

A single in the first inning, an RBI triple in the second inning, a bases-clearing double in the third inning and a grand slam in the fourth inning equaled the cycle for Hill, who drove in eight runs on the game. The eight RBIs marks a single-game SAU record and ties the GAC record for most in a single game.

Hill went 2-5 in day two against Northwest Missouri and Maryville, driving in a run via a sacrifice fly and scoring two runs.

On the season, the lefty is hitting .439 with 15 runs scored. She has ten extra-base hits – five doubles, three triples and two homeruns. She has driven in a team-high 20 runs and has 35 total bases, second on the team.

The senior is slugging .854 and has a .444 on-base percentage with a pair of sacrifice flies.

Hill has already tallied more hits, runs, doubles, triples, homeruns, RBIs and total bases through 12 games than she did in the entirety of the 2019 season (25 games-23 starts).

Hill becomes the ninth different Mulerider and the seventh in the Jason Anderson era to earn national player of the week honors, joining current teammates Elisa Favela and Victoria Taylor; as well as Maddie Dow, Brooke Goad, Kaylee Garner and Darian Harris. Additionally, Hanna Gill and Shelby Miller received the honors preceding Anderson’s time at Southern Arkansas.

Hill and the Muleriders open conference play this weekend as they host Harding in a four-game set.

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The NCAA Woman of the Year award was established in 1991 and is described by NCAA.org to ‘recognize graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.’

The nominees come from all three divisions of the NCAA.

Those from Arkansas include:

Breanna Byrd, Southern Arkansas, outdoor track and field
Bailey Carr, Southern Arkansas, golf
Morgan Dasch, Hendrix, lacrosse
Hunter Eshnaur, Arkansas Tech, volleyball
Vasiliki Falaina, Little Rock, swimming and diving
Maria Fassi, Arkansas, golf
Victoria Hoggard, Arkansas, indoor and outdoor track and field
Claire Latta, Arkansas-Fort Smith, golf
Peyton Mills, Harding, softball
Sydnee Parker, Henderson, tennis

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ARKADELPHIA — Henderson State volleyball standout Sydney Skelton was announced as the school’s nominee for 2017-18 NCAA Woman of the Year Award on Thursday afternoon.

Skelton, who graduated from Henderson in May, was a three-year starter for the Reddies at libero, where she became a two-time All-Great American Conference selection and helped lead the Reddies to their first ever appearance in the GAC Tournament in 2016. Skelton holds the GAC record for digs in a match with 54 and ranks sixth all-time in school history in defensive digs with 1523 in just 299 career matches.

Off the court, Skelton was the internal operations director for Henderson’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was the 2017-18 recipient of the India Norman Award — the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a female student-athlete at the university.

The NCAA Woman of the Year award, which began in 1991 and is now in its 28th year, honors graduating female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and have stood out through their work in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

Skelton joins a list of 581 nominees from all three levels of NCAA competition this year, which includes 130 other nominees from DII institutions.

Nominees from each conference will be selected in August and the top 30 nominees overall, which includes 10 from each division of competition and is picked by the NCAA, will be recognized in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Oct. 28. Three finalists from each division will be picked from those 30 and the Committee on Women’s Athletics will then select the winner from the nine finalists.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Senior Cheyenne North stuffed the stat sheet, scoring 11 points, blocking nine shots and dishing out eight assists but the No. 4 seed Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (26-4) season came to an end as they fell to fifth-seeded Northern State (26-5) by a final score of 76-65 in the first round of the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament being played at the Elmen Center in Sioux Falls, S.D. Friday night.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Arkansas Tech scored the first points of the game on a jumper by North to claim a 2-0 lead. The Golden Suns forced four turnovers in the opening three minutes to spark a 7-0 run, Tech led 9-2 with 6:53 remaining in the first quarter.
• Northern State scored four straight point to trim the lead to three points. Jayana Sanders came off the bench for Tech and scored six straight points, draining a three and converting a 3-point play to give Tech a nine-point advantage (15-6).
• The Wolves chipped into the Suns lead and were able to cut it down to four at 17-13 with 3:30 to go in the first quarter.
• Tech scored four of the last five points of the quarter to take a 21-14 lead going into the second quarter.
• North gave the Suns their first double digit lead (28-18) after hitting a contested 3-pointer from the top of the key. Sanders scored a fast break layup to make it a 12-point advantage (30-18) at the 7:45 minute mark.
• The Golden Suns opened up a 15-point lead, their largest lead of the first half, after Ryann Goodsell hit a jumper. (36-21)
• Northern State answered with an 8-1 run to cut the lead to nine points (37-29) with 2:44 remaining in the first half.
• Both teams traded baskets over the final two minutes of the first half, Tech held a nine-point advantage (43-34) going into the break.
• The Suns forced ten turnovers and North blocked five shots in the first half, while the Wolves held a 20-14 advantage in rebounding.
• The Wolves used a 7-3 run in the opening minutes of the third quarter to pull to within five (46-41) with 6:38 remaining.
• Jill Conrad cut the Suns lead to three points after hitting a jumper at the 5:23 minute mark (48-45).
• Ke’Vonshaye Stackhouse made it a five-point game after driving through the lane and connecting on an off-balance floater to put the score at 52-47 with 4:07 remaining in the third quarter.
• Jessi Marti hit Northern State’s first 3-pointer of the second half to trim the Suns lead to two points (50-52) then Conrad hit a layup to knot the game up at 52-52 at the 2:14 minute mark.
• North answered for Tech, scoring the next four points to give the Suns a 56-52 lead with 1:40 remaining in the third quarter.
• Kylie Ladd scored the last points of the quarter, draining a 15-foot jumper to give Tech a four-point advantage (58-54) going into the fourth.
• After hitting a pair of free throws, Northern State cut the lead to one point with 8:13 remaining in regulation.
• Northern State took its first lead of the game (63-61) after Miranda Ristau converted on a 3-point play with 5:53 left in the game.
• The Wolves ended the game on an 11-3 run, claiming a 76-66 win.

NOTABLES

• The Golden Suns shot just 15-percent (3-of-20) from the floor in the fourth quarter, which allowed for Northern State to put an 18-2 run together to come back and defeat Tech.
• Northern State outshot Tech 45.6 percent to 34.8 percent. The Wolves also out rebounded the Suns 48-32 and went 22-26 from the free throw line while Tech went 13-20.
• In her final game as a Golden Sun, North finished with 11 points, nine blocks, eight assists and four rebounds.
• Williams ended her season with a team-high 17 points and grabbed three rebounds. Ladd scored 11 points and Sanders added 12 points.
• Arkansas Tech ends the season with a 26-4 record and closed it out with its fourth consecutive 20-plus-win season and fourth straight trip to the NCAA Central Region Tournament.

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