MAGNOLIA, Ark. (AP) — The 12th-ranked Southern Arkansas Muleriders defeated 25th-ranked Harding 3-1 Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA Central Region Tournament.

Harding will face Missouri Southern Friday at 3:30 p.m., in an elimination game.

The Lady Bisons (39-17) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Brooklyn Gobble hit a sacrifice fly to score Kaya Lee, who had led off the inning with a single and advanced on a single by Zoey Neal.

The Muleriders (43-8) responded in the bottom of the sixth with three runs off Harding starter Brooklyn Gobble (17-8). Cassidy Lear drove in two runs with a single, and Kelsie Adams added another with a single of her own.

Southern Arkansas pitcher Brinson Rogers (30-4) earned the win, allowing one run on four hits and striking out eight. Gobble took the loss, surrendering three runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Harding stranded nine runners on base and committed one error. Southern Arkansas had eight hits and two errors.