2012 GAC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP HOME PAGE

ENID, Okla. – No. 1 seed Southern Arkansas avoided a first-round upset by defeating No. 6 seed Henderson State by a final score of 7-6 (BOX SCORE) on Friday in the opening game of the inaugural Great American Conference Baseball Championship Tournament.

SAU’s Brady Capshaw recorded an RBI-sacrifice fly out to right field in the bottom of the ninth inning to score Trey Buck for the game-ending run.

HSU, the visiting team on the scoreboard for the opening round game, forced SAU to take its final at bat after designated hitter Josh Salmon sent a fly ball over the left field wall for a three-run, game-tying homerun.

Prior to the ninth inning, neither team plated a run after SAU’s six-run third inning, highlighted by a two-run homerun from designated hitter Phillip Menou. The Muleriders (33-14) started the rally with four consecutive singles.

The Reddies (23-26) grabbed a quick lead with three runs in the top of the first inning with four hits in the frame, highlighted by back-to-back RBI singles from Josh Salmon and Michael Corso.

Justin Thomas (4-2) picked up the win in relief for SAU after retiring the only batter he faced in the top half of the ninth inning. Nathan Eller (3-5) was saddled with the loss for HSU after allowing the game-winning run off two hits with two walks and no strikeouts in the final 5.2 innings of work.

The Muleriders advance to face the loser of the No. 3 Southwestern Oklahoma/No. 4 Arkansas Tech opening round matchup. The second round game is scheduled for Saturday, May 5 at 3:30 p.m. The Reddies fall into the loser’s bracket and will face the loser of the No. 2 Southeastern Oklahoma State/No. 5 Ouachita Baptist opening round game on Saturday at noon.