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. – There’s gutsy and then there’s “Parker Abrego firing a complete game two-hitter in his first appearance in over a month and in his first start since March 20″ gutsy. And “gutsy” might not do the performance justice as he notched career-highs in innings worked and pitches thrown. With the Muleriders’ season on the line, fifth-year head coach Justin Pettigrew tossed the ball to the right-hander and he delivered. The sophomore’s effort coupled with timely hitting in the sixth and seventh innings propelled (5) Southern Arkansas past (3) Minnesota State for the second time in as many days as the former heads to Championship Monday of the Central Regional needing two wins over top-seeded and consensus top five Central Missouri (42-6) to claim the program’s first regional championship.

Monday’s matchup marks the fourth time in SAU’s NCAA Era that the Muleriders have advanced to the final day of the regional tournament after first doing so in 2004 at the South Region Tournament, again in 2010 and in 2018 when SAU hosted the Central Region Tournament. Southern Arkansas forced the “if necessary” game in 2010 and 2018 and will need to tomorrow to have a shot at the DII Baseball World Series in Cary, North Carolina, next weekend.

Abrego allowed just two hits, five walks and two hit-by-pitch, while the only blemish in the run column came in the top of the sixth inning as Maverick All-American Joey Werner nailed an opposite-field home run to give MSU an early, but short-lived lead. Abrego induced a dozen fly outs and seven groundouts, while stranding seven base runners to improve to 4-2 on the season.

The 1-0 lead for Minnesota State after five and a half innings did not last as Southern Arkansas pushed across three runs in the home half of the sixth. Sophomore Riley Orr singled off of MSU starter Cam Kline’s glove, senior Austin Baker singled into centerfield and a fielder’s choice from the bat of senior Kobe Morris put runners at the corners with one out. A hard hit ground ball to shortstop in junior Jacob Martinez’s bat resulted in an RBI-single that plated Orr and tied the game at 1.

With two outs and runners and first and second, senior Zach Muldoonchopped a pitch to third which forced an error and loaded the bases for junior Tucker Burton. Burton, on the first pitch he saw, doubled into right field allowing Morris and Martinez to score and give Abrego more than enough run support.

In the two games prior, Southern Arkansas had managed just seven hits and in the first five innings of Sunday’s nightcap the Muleriders had recorded only a pair. But the three runs in the sixth came on four hits and after the stretch from Crane Stadium at Tompkins Field, SAU added two more runs on three additional hits to all but put the game away with the powerful jaunt the club was receiving from Abrego.

The insurance runs came courtesy of a two-run single down the right field line by Morris that scored Orr, who reached on a well-hit double, and Baker, who singled and stole second to move into scoring position.

Burton, Orr and senior Mason Peterson all doubled in the win. Orr, Baker and Morris all collected a pair of hits with the latter two each stealing a bag. Orr scored twice, while Morris and Burton accounted for two RBI each. SAU pushed across three earned runs and five total on one of the country’s top pitching staffs which used three arms on Sunday night including Kline who suffered the loss after going 6.1 innings allowing seven hits and two earned runs with six strikeouts. MSU entered the Central Region Tournament with Division II Baseball’s best team ERA at 3.03, strikeout-to-walk ratio at 5.01, and WHIP at 1.12. That was evident as the Maverick staff did not issue a free pass on Sunday with only an intentional walk allowed on Saturday in 17.1 innings against SAU in two games.

In Sunday’s opener, freshman transfer Santos Sosa put together the longest outing of his Mulerider career as he moved into a starter’s role for the winner’s bracket final. The right hander more than held his own against one of the country’s top offensive lineups as he tossed eight innings scattering a dozen hits and two walks, while stranding nine Mules on the base paths and fanning two as he faced 37 UCM hitters.

Sosa worked around Central Missouri runners in scoring position in five of his eight innings and relied on quality defense behind him as a dozen fly outs and eight groundouts kept the Mulerider defense busy.

The Muleriders struck for two runs in the top of the fifth inning as timely hitting off the bat of Morris resulted in a two-run double into left centerfield that plated sophomore Ty Manning and Peterson with two outs in the frame. Manning led off the fifth with a bunt single to third base and stole second to put himself in scoring position. Peterson followed with a walk and with one out, Manning moved to third on a fly out to centerfield by Baker.

Morris placed a full count pitch to the signage as Southern Arkansas responded following a two-run fourth by the Mules that staked UCM starter Conor Dryer to a 3-0 lead through four. The Mules added one more run in the fifth to take a 4-2 lead. In the ninth inning, sophomore Brett McGee drew his 40^th free pass of the season, and second of the day, to lead off the frame and moved to second on a balk, but would be left stranded as UCM advanced to Monday’s Central Region Championship.

Baker and Morris both doubled, while Muldoon and Manning each delivered a single in the loss.

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BENTONVILLE, Ark. – The 12th-ranked Harding softball team won both games on the final day of the UAM Softball Challenge. The Lady Bisons defeated Northwest Missouri 1-0 and Central Missouri 5-2.

Game One Key Innings (No. 12 Harding 1, Northwest Missouri 0) 

– Harding scored its only run of the game in the fourth. Peyton Millssingled up the middle and then stole second. Katie Carney then drove her in on a single.

Game One Key Statistics 

–  Peyton Mills and Katie Carney each had two hits with Carney going 2-for-2.

– Northwest Missouri had three hits in the game.

–  Emily Garrett picked up her first collegiate win with a complete game shutout. She gave up three hits and struck out five against 26 batters.

– Taylor Blackford received the loss, giving up four hits and one earned run.

Game Two Key Innings (No. 12 Harding 5, Central Missouri 2)

– Harding got on the board first in the fourth inning with Amanda Fieldshad a RBI ground out and Madison Leggett hit her first collegiate home run.

– Central Missouri tied the game in the sixth on three hits and a Harding error. The Jennis had RBI singles by Courtni Smith and Aubrey Daniel.

– The Lady Bisons broke the tie in the sixth scoring three runs on three hits. Katlyn Gordon singled in two runs and Lindsey Duncan singled in the third run.

Game Two Key Statistics

– Each team had seven hits in the game. All of Harding’s hits came from seven different players.

–  Katlyn Gordon picked up her career multiple RBI game.

–  Emily Garrett picked up the win in 1 1/3 innings of relief. She gave up two hits and struck out one. Amanda Berry started the game and went 5 2/3 innings and struck out five.

– Alexa Bradley received the loss in two innings of relief.

Up Next 

– The Lady Bisons will be back in action next weekend when it plays six games at the UAM Softball Classic in Bentonville, Arkansas. First pitch is schedule for Friday at 9 a.m. against Rogers State.

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SEARCY – Senior quarterback Park Parish rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 173 yards and another touchdown to lead No. 5 Harding to a 48-31 victory over No. 20 Central Missouri in the first round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs on Saturday at First Security Stadium.

The victory was Harding’s first in three NCAA playoff games and gave the Bisons a 12-0 record. Harding also reached the playoffs in 2012 and 2014. Harding, the No. 3 seed in Super Region 3, advances to play No. 2 seed Sioux Falls next Saturday in South Dakota.

Central Missouri, the No. 6 seed in Super Region 3, made its first playoff appearance since 2010 and finished its season 9-3.

Parish scored his first rushing touchdown with 2:09 left in the second quarter to give Harding a 21-17 lead, its first of the game. The score culminated a 12-play, 78-yard drive that took seven minutes.

Harding’s defense forced Central Missouri’s first punt of the game on its next possession, but a fumbled punt return gave the Mules the ball at Harding’s 26. Central Missouri scored two plays later on a 23-yard pass from quarterback Garrett Fugate to Jaylen Zachery, and the Mules led 24-21 with only 42 seconds remaining in the half.

Senior Corey Bassett caught the ensuing kickoff at the Harding 7, cut to the left and outran the Central Missouri coverage for a 93-yard touchdown that gave the Bisons a 28-24 lead at halftime. He became the first Bison ever to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same season.

Central Missouri took its last lead early in the second half on Kyle Echols 25-yard touchdown reception from Fugate, but the Mules did not score again.

Harding took the lead for good on Eric Simmons’ 18-yard touchdown run with 6:40 left in the third quarter. The big play of the drive came on a 39-yard pass from Parish to Andrew Dather over the middle.

After a Central Missouri 3-and-out, Parish struck again on a 41-yard touchdown run that gave Harding a 41-31 lead with 1:35 left in the third. Parish sealed the victory with an 81-yard touchdown pass to Dather with 10:16 left in the game.

Harding had 530 total yards, including 355 on the ground and a season-high 173 in the air. Central Missouri had 381 total yards, 327 of them coming in the passing game. The Mules had only 91 yards in the second half.

Parish’s 118 rushing yards came on 21 carries. He was 6-of-7 passing, and Dather had a career-high 149 receiving yards on four catches.

Simmons, a senior slot back, had seven carries for a career-high 91 yards and his second career two-touchdown game.

Fugate was Central Missouri’s leading rusher with 29 yards on 12 carries and a 13-yard touchdown run. He completed 22-of-28 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns before exiting with 9:39 left in the game with an injury.

Harding controlled the ball for almost 39 minutes and did not punt for the second time this season.

Senior linebacker Daylan Skidmore led Harding’s defensive attack with eight tackles, including two sacks and a fumble recovery.

Sioux Falls, the No. 2 seed and now undefeated at 12-0, won 34-21 on Saturday over No. 7 seed Azusa Pacific.

Notes: Harding now has three postseason victories in program history. The others came at the 1972 Cowboy Bowl, a 30-27 victory over Langston, and at the 2013 Live United Texarkana Bowl, a 44-3 victory over Texas A&M-Commerce … Bassett’s 93-yard kickoff return was the fifth-longest in program history … Bassett also blocked a field goal attempt … Parish’s 81-yard pass to Dather was tied for the sixth-longest in program history.

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