Pair of Batie interceptions spark Bisons over Weevils

SEARCY -- Harding University cornerback Corey Batie kept nodding his head and flashing an infectious ear-to-ear grin in the aftermath of the Bisons' 24-0 victory over the University of Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday night at First Security Stadium.

Seeing Batie smile is nothing new to those who know him, notably Harding Coach Paul Simmons, and the junior's play kept Simmons grinning after the victory.

Batie, 5-11 and 190 pounds from Troy, Ala., intercepted two passes, including one he returned 75 yards for a touchdown, to key a Harding defense that limited UAM to 158 yards and never allowed the Boll Weevils to get past the Harding 27.

The shutout of UAM was the first by Harding in 55 meetings, and Batie's interception returns of 152 yards nearly equaled UAM's total output on offense.

Batie's first interception, midway through the first quarter with UAM facing third and 4 and trailing 7-0, was the game-changer.

Batie, playing man-to-man coverage on UAM's C.J. Parham, said he anticipated a pick play from the receiver to free UAM's LaCedric Smith for a possible first-down conversion.

Batie eluded Parham and cut under Smith to intercept Caleb Canady's quick throw, taking it back 75 yards for a touchdown.

Instead of first down UAM, it was touchdown Harding.

"The inside receiver tried to pick me, tried to get in my way," Batie said. "The outside receiver ran a little slant, so I just jumped in front of it. I knew what was coming."

Batie intercepted the ball seamlessly and never broke stride as he raced the other way with 7:31 to play in the first quarter.

"Felt like heaven, like it was all a dream at first," Batie said.

UAM Coach Hud Jackson applauded Batie's play, but said it's important to take advantage when it gets in position to score against a team like Harding.

"That's the purpose in being precise in what you do against a defense like that," Jackson said. "You can't leave it out there. ... It's a game of inches."

Batie's dream night got even better with Harding leading 21-0 and time running down in the second quarter.

Jackson said he was trying to decide whether to attempt a 51-yard field goal or go for a first down with the ball at the Harding 34 and less than 20 seconds to play.

Jackson went for the first down, and Batie took it from there.

"The coaches drilled into our heads they were going to be a good passing team," Batie said, talking about his second interception, which resulted in a 77-yard return. "I saw the quarterback just float it. And I just cut up under it."

Batie was fighting the clock on his return as well as Canady, who appeared to have an angle on the cornerback.

Batie said he thought he could make it to the end zone if he stayed near the sideline.

"The people on the sideline said I should cut it up, but I thought I could beat him on the outside," Batie said. "He had too good an angle I guess."

Batie got knocked out of bounds at the 6 with seven seconds to play, and Grant Ennis came on to kick a 23-yard field goal to make it 24-0 to set the final margin.

"It feels like a dream night," Batie said. "I was just ready to come in and do my job."

Which is exactly what he did.

"He made a great play on the ball," Jackson said of the first interception. "He did a great job. You can't make those mistakes. Not against those guys."

Simmons said Batie's play was not only appreciated, but needed on a night when the Bisons gained 344 yards, all on the ground. The Bisons also lost two fumbles and never really kicked into gear.

"The plays he made, at the time he made them, were absolutely game-changing," Simmons said. "I could not be more proud of that young man."

Simmons wasn't as complementary of the Bisons' offensive performance.

There were productive nights from Cole Chancey (15-96 rushing, 1 TD), Tristan Tucker (10-99, 1 TD) and Taylor Bissell (3-75), but there were the lost fumbles, giving Harding an uncharacteristic 5 in 2 games.

"I guess it's a good thing to rush for 344 and be disappointed in that," Simmons said. "We're going to get better. We need to get better."

Simmons praised the UAM defense.

"They had several chances to tap out, and I thought they were going to go, but they played to the very end," he said.

Jackson said UAM's defense did everything it could.

"They played lights out," Jackson said of the Boll Weevils. "They were trying to score there at the end, and they couldn't."

Sports on 09/15/2019

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