State sports briefs

BASEBALL

Harding, Arkansas Tech win in GAC tournament

Harding scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning to edge Southwestern Oklahoma State 5-4, and Ryan Taylor pitched a complete game to lead Arkansas Tech to a 5-4 upset victory over Southern Arkansas during the second day of the Great American Conference baseball tournament Sunday in Enid, Okla.

Harding’s victory kept the Bisons (28-21) alive in the loser’s bracket, while SAU’s loss sent the tournament’s top seed to the loser’s bracket.

Kyler Offenbacker’s RBI single in the eighth proved to be the game winner, and he went 3 for 4 with 1 run scored. His eighth-inning RBI drove in James Anderson, who reached on an error and moved up two bases on one wild pitch. Cameron Walker earned the victory for Harding, after holding Southwestern Oklahoma State (31-16) to 1 run on 3 hits in 3 innings of relief.

Harding will play Arkansas Tech at 3:30 p.m. today.

The Wonder Boys got to today’s game after Taylor struck out 10 batters while allowing four runs - one earned - on 6 hits to help the Wonder Boys (32-20) stay alive following a first-round loss to Henderson State. Cesar Abreu and Thomas Biocic each had two hits for Arkansas Tech, which scored four runs in the first inning aided by two Muleriders’ errors.

Southern Arkansas (37-15) scored three runs in the third off two Arkansas Tech errors to get within 4-3. The Muleriders then loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth, Brady Capshaw was hit by a pitch to tie the game at 4-4, but Taylor got an infield pop-up, a strike out and a fielder’s choice to get out of the jam.

Arkansas-Monticello (31-18) banged out 18 hits in a 12-8 victory over Henderson State. The loss puts the Reddies (24-26) in the loser’s bracket where they will take on regular-season champion Southern Arkansas in an elimination game at noon today. The Boll Weevils will play the winner of that game at 7 tonight.

GOLF Henderson women tied for fourth

Henderson State’s women are tied for fourth with Concordia St. Paul after the first round at the NCAA Central Regional in St. Joseph, Mo.

Henderson and Concordia both shot a 334. Augustana College leads the tournament with 317 and is led by Allie Ostrander, who is in first place with a 74.

The Lady Reddies are led by Kendall Earp, who is tied for third overall with a 78. Katie Kilponen is tied for 13th with an 81. Harding is eighth with a 341. Emily Plyler leads the Lady Bisons with an 81, tying Kilponen for 13th. Arkansas Tech is ninth with a 343 and is led by Rebecka Surtevall, who has an 81.

SOFTBALL UCA falls in finale

Central Arkansas closed out the regular season with a 6-5 loss at Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Sunday.

Right fielder Sam Forrest was 2 for 4 with a 2 RBI and a run scored, while second baseman Melissa Bryant was 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Kelsie Armstrong (28-12) took the loss for the Bears, allowing six runs on 10 hits and a walk while striking out 10 in six innings.

BASEBALL Arkansas Baptist gains split with Connors

Tanner Rockwell drove in three runs and pitched the final three innings of Sunday’s second game to help the Arkansas Baptist Buffaloes earn a doubleheader split with the nationally-ranked Connors State Cowboys.

No. 9 Connors (49-7) won the first game, 8-4. Arkansas Baptist won the second game, 8-4. The same two teams will play Thursday in the first round of the NJCAA Division I Tournament in Tulsa.

Sports, Pages 17 on 05/06/2013

Upcoming Events