MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas' David Harris hit a grand slam with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the 26th-ranked Muleriders past 28th-ranked Harding 13-11 on Friday in the first game of a three-game Great American Conference series.

The teams conclude the series Saturday at 2 p.m.

Harding (13-6, 6-4) broke a 9-9 tie with Billy Ninemire's RBI single in the eighth and added to its lead on Chris Hardey's sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth.

With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Southern Arkansas (17-8, 11-2) loaded the bases on a walk, a single, and Harding's sixth error of the game to set the stage for Harris' game-winning home run. It was his fifth home run of the season.

Harding had a 9-4 lead after five innings, but Southern Arkansas scored one in the fifth and four in the sixth to tie the game.

The Bisons had their second big inning of the game in the top of the fifth, scoring three runs, with two coming in on Kyle Atkins' single to left.

Harding opened the game with five runs on six hits in the first inning.

The Bisons had 17 hits in the game; the fourth time in the last five games Harding had 10 or more hits. Junior Victor Guerra was 4-for-5 with three runs scored and one RBI. It was Guerra's first four-hit game as a Bison and the second by a Harding player this season. Hardey was 3-for-4 with three RBI, his second career three-RBI game.

Bronson Smith (1-1) suffered the loss in relief for the Bisons. Harding starting pitcher Cameron Walker pitched five innings and allowed nine hits and only two earned runs. The Bisons scored eight earned runs on 13 hits in five innings against Southern Arkansas starter James Baune.

Mulerider reliever Timothy Buchanan (3-1) got the last two outs in the top of the ninth and earned the win.

Harris and Jason Dahl both had four hits for Southern Arkansas.