Alva Review-Courier -

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – No. 4 Southern Arkansas used eight hits to plate sevens in backing a combined shutout performance by starter Kenneth Tabor and reliever Makenzy Larsen on Saturday afternoon and the Muleriders picked up their seventh Great American Conference sweep of the season with a 7-0 victory over Harding on "Bark at the Park/Community" Day inside Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field.

TEAM RECORDS

Harding Bisons (16-24, 11-16 GAC)

#4 Southern Arkansas Muleriders (32-7, 25-2 GAC)

PITCHING DECISIONS

W – Kenneth Tabor (8-1)

L – Jackson Ward (2-5)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Southern Arkansas struck first in Saturday's series finale as Cortland McPherson sent the first pitch he saw from HU starter Jackson Ward 400-plus feet over the center field wall which plated Jacob Richardson, who earlier in the second inning reached on a leadoff walk. The mammoth two-run shot from McPherson is the junior's seventh home run of the season; second-most on the club.

The Muleriders would strand the bases loaded in that run-scoring second inning, but would plate two more runs in the fifth inning to back SAU starter Kenneth Tabor.

In that fifth inning, Trevor Rucker walked to leadoff the frame, before moving to third on a double from the bat of Mark Fontenot. Richardson would follow with a sacrifice fly that scored Rucker to make it 3-0 SAU. After tagging up and moving to third on the Richardson sac fly, Fontenot was chased home on an RBI-groundout by Jake Tisevich that pushed the Muleriders out front 4-0.

Tabor worked around a combined five base runners through the first five innings of action on Saturday, before posting a quick sixth and seventh inning of work. Southern Arkansas would again scratch a pair of runs in support of Tabor; this time on a two-run blast from Fontenot in the seventh; his sixth home run of the year. The first two run-scoring frames for Southern Arkansas began with leadoff walks and the seventh inning was no different as Rucker reached first base on his second leadoff walk of the afternoon; setting the table for Fontenot.

Tabor stranded a pair of Harding base runners in the eighth, before Rucker plated Michael Page in the bottom half of the inning on a one-out single through the left side.

After picking up his sixth save of the season in yesterday's series opener, Larsen was called upon to work the ninth inning of a no-save situation and did so quickly by working around a leadoff single, before inducing a 1-4-3 double-play with one out in the frame to end the game.

ON THE MOUND

Tabor improved to 8-1 on the season as he allowed just six hits in 8.0 innings of work. He struck out eight batters and walked just three.

Larsen needed only seven pitches in the ninth inning as he faced the minimum in finishing his 16th game of the season.

AT THE PLATE

Fontenot led SAU with two hits, two RBI and a pair of runs scored.

Blake Hall and Josey Langston joined Rucker (RBI), Tisevich (RBI), McPherson (run scored) and Page (run scored) as Muleriders that collected a hit.

Richardson scored a run and collected an RBI

McPherson plated two runs and Rucker scored two runs.

UP NEXT

The Muleriders face a quick turnaround as they welcome in Texas A&M-Texarkana on Monday, April 17, for a scheduled 6 p.m. first-pitch from Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field.