SEARCY – Harding senior Billy Ninemire extended his hitting streak to a school-record 15 straight games but the Bisons fell 6-1 to 13th-ranked Southern Arkansas on Tuesday in a non-conference game at Jerry Moore Field.

Harding fell to 26-18 with the loss, while Southern Arkansas improved to 34-13.

Ninemire's record-breaking hit came in the first inning in his first at-bat. With Kyle Atkins at first and one out, Ninemire sent shot through the right side that moved Atkins to third. Jeremy Bohnett's sacrifice fly scored Atkins with Harding's only run of the game.

Ninemire singled again in the seventh and had two of Harding's four hits. His streak broke the previous record of 14 games, set by Ben James in 1999 and matched by Sean Camilleri in 2002.

After the run in the first, Southern Arkansas lefty Timothy Buchanan (8-1) shut down the Harding offense. He pitched eight innings and allowed only three hits and two walks and struck out five.

Harding starter Collin Campbell also pitched well, yielding only three hits and one walk while striking out three in five scoreless innings.

Southern Arkansas did its damage to the Harding bullpen. The Muleriders tied the game in the sixth on a Brady Capshaw RBI single off Tyler Stanford. Ryan Dardenne doubled to lead off the seventh against Stanford, who came out one out later. Jackson McCurdy then doubled off Bison reliever Bronson Smith to score Dardenne and give the Muleriders the lead for good.

Southern Arkansas tacked on four more runs on four hits in the eighth off Harding reliever Zac Stewart.

Harding's attention now shifts to Friday when the Bisons play the first of three Great American Conference games against Arkansas Tech in Russellville. A Harding sweep guarantees the Bisons a berth in the GAC Tournament and two wins advances Harding in most scenarios. The Bisons enter the weekend in sixth place in the GAC standings with only the top six teams making the tournament in Enid, Okla., May 4-7.