SEARCY – Harding senior Chris Hardey lined a bases-loaded single back up the middle to score Victor Guerra with the winning run in the Bisons' 5-4 11-inning victory over No. 3 Southern Arkansas on Saturday at Jerry Moore Field.

With the victory, Harding (16-8, 8-4) won the series over Southern Arkansas two-games-to-one. It was the first time since 2004 that the Bisons have won two games in a season over a team ranked in the top five nationally.

Southern Arkansas (21-6, 10-5) had won 20 straight Great American Conference series entering the weekend, but Harding has won the last two against the Muleriders in Searcy, also taking 2-of-3 in 2011.

With the game tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 11th, Guerra lined a double to left center to lead off the inning. It was his seventh double in nine base hits this season. John Chapman's infield single advanced Guerra to third with no outs. Mulerider reliever Blake Sullivan intentionally walked Trent Wooldridge to load the bases.

Hardey then lined a 2-2 pitch back up the middle through the drawn in infield for the game-winning hit.

The game was tied 2-2 after nine innings, but Southern Arkansas scored two in the top of the 10th. Tyler Cameron had an RBI on an infield ground out with the bases loaded, and Jon Phillips drove in the second run with a single to left.

Harding responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning that came on a 2-run single by Noah Chandler.

Both starting pitchers were effective in the game. Harding's Logan Holthaus went 7 1/3 innings and allowed only four hits and one earned run. He has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his six starts this season.

Southern Arkansas starter Timothy Buchanan left after 6 1/3 having given up only two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts.

Reliever Andrew Fiddler (3-3) worked around a hit in the top of the 11th to earn the win. He ended the inning on a strike-em-out-throw-em-out double play. It was the fourth double play of the game, tying a school record.

Sullivan (2-1) took the loss, retiring only one of the five batters he faced.

Chandler and James Anderson both had three hits for the Bisons. It was Chandler's first 3-hit game and first 3-RBI game as a Bison. Anderson now has a team-high 10 multi-hit games.

Harding will play Tuesday against nationally-ranked Delta State in Searcy. The game is scheduled for 2 p.m.