Alva Review-Courier -

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas senior outfielder Trevor Rucker now sits alone atop the SAU record book for career home runs as he blasted his 42nd career homer in the Muleriders' 9-5 loss to Henderson State in an elimination game at the 2017 Great American Conference Baseball Championship on Saturday night at Clyde Berry Field in Arkadelphia.

In setting the record, Rucker surpassed former SAU All-American Cannon Lester, who hit 41 home runs over his prolific four-year career.

TEAM RECORDS

(1) Southern Arkansas Muleriders (39-14)

(4) Henderson State Reddies (32-20)

PITCHING DECISIONS

W – Chris Hunt (7-5)

L – Jacob Stroder (4-2)

S – Blake Patterson (13)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Muleriders wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard as they plated a run in the top of the first inning on a RBI single to left field off the bat of Jacob Richardson. Two innings later, it was 3-0 SAU as Mark Fontenot went opposite field to left-center for a two-run home run.

In the bottom of the fourth, Henderson scored their first run as Jordan Taylor led off with a solo home run. The Reddies went on to score twice more that inning to tie the game at three-all.

In the fifth, SAU regained the lead on the record-setting solo home run by Trevor Rucker. In the bottom of the frame, however, the Reddies struck for four runs as they took a 7-4 lead.

The Muleriders got one of those runs back in the next half inning on a sacrifice fly by Josey Langston to make it 7-5, but two runs in the eighth by Henderson pushed the score to its eventual final of 9-5.

ON THE MOUND

Jacob Stroder got the start and was solid through the first three innings as he allowed just one hit and had four strikeouts. The Reddies started to get to Stroder, however, in the fourth with three runs on three hits and a four-run fifth chased him from the start.

George Eubanks and Makenzy Larsen pitched in relief with Larsen going the final three innings.

AT THE PLATE

The Muleriders out-hit the Reddies, 11-8, and SAU's 2-3-4 hitters in the lineup combined for nine of the hits as Trevor Rucker, Mark Fontenot and Jacob Richardson all were 3-for-5 in the game

That trio all doubled and Rucker and Fontenot added home runs as well.

The double and home run for Rucker were his 20th of the season in each category. He is now the only player in SAU Baseball history to have a season with 20 doubles and 20 home runs.

ON DECK

The Muleriders will now await the NCAA Division II Baseball Selection Show to see where they will continue their season and who their first opponent will be for the Central Region Tournament. The selection show is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Central Time on Sunday night.