MAGNOLIA, Ark. — Southern Arkansas rallied in the opener and held off Harding in the nightcap to sweep a Great American Conference doubleheader Monday, taking sole possession of the lead in the league standings. The Muleriders took game one 7-4 before completing the sweep with a 3-1 victory in the second contest.
In the first game, Harding (26-10, 16-7 GAC) jumped out to an early lead when Cooper Newsom doubled home Logan Lacey in the first inning. They added another run in the fifth as Harrison Griffith singled in Lacey, who had reached on a walk and advanced on another Newsom single.
However, Southern Arkansas (23-13, 16-7 GAC) responded with a five-run outburst in the bottom of the fifth. After Javier Lobo relieved Harding starter Merritt Jay, Jaden Hill walked and stole second, and Trace Shoup walked. Glynn Wilson then delivered the big blow, blasting a three-run home run to right field. Grant Roosma followed with a walk and Peyton Ballard doubled him in. Ballard then scored an unearned run on a Harding throwing error.
Harding attempted a comeback in the ninth, with Collin Helms singling, Griffith singling, and Ty Kirkbride driving in a run with a double. Sebastian Martinez added a sacrifice fly to score another. However, after Kade Smith reached on an error, a foul out ended the game.
Newsom led Harding's offense in the opener with his four-hit effort, including two doubles, while Lacey added two hits and scored twice. The game marked Newsom's third career four-hit performance and the seventh time in his career he has doubled twice in a single game. Wilson and Roosma each had two hits and an RBI for the Muleriders, and Ballard contributed a double and an RBI. Hayden Oglesby (2-1) earned the win in relief for Southern Arkansas, while Jay (6-2) took the loss for Harding.
The second game saw Southern Arkansas complete the sweep with a 3-1 victory. The Muleriders scored all their runs in the fourth inning. Brandon Nicoll walked, and Hill singled. Shoup then doubled down the left-field line, scoring Nicoll. Wilson reached on a fielder's choice, with Hill being thrown out at home. Roosma followed with a two-run single to shortstop, scoring both Shoup and Wilson.
Harding's lone run came in the second inning when Smith singled, advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Sawyer Price, and scored on a wild pitch by Southern Arkansas starter Beau Leonards.
Leonards (4-3) earned the win in the nightcap, pitching five innings and allowing one run on five hits while striking out five. Austin Adair picked up his fourth save with two scoreless innings. Preston Tabor (4-3) took the loss for Harding, allowing three runs on four hits in four innings.
Harding's offense struggled in the second game, managing just five hits. Bowie had two of those hits for the Bisons. Helms' first inning single made him the first Harding player ever to reach base in 50 straight games.
With the doubleheader sweep, Southern Arkansas now holds a one-game lead over Harding in the GAC standings, with records of 24-13 overall and 17-7 in conference play, compared to Harding's 26-11 overall and 16-8 in conference. Harding will play again Tuesday with a nonconference home game against Arkansas Tech beginning at 4 p.m.
