HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Top-seeded Southern Arkansas completed an undefeated run through the 2022 Great American Conference Baseball Championships as the Muleriders defeated Henderson State, 17-9, on Tuesday from Majestic Park.
The Muleriders (41-11) improved to 6-0 in GAC Championship title games. Despite not scoring in the first inning for the first time at the GAC Championships, SAU gained an early lead when it scored five times in both the second and third innings.
Chris Lyles began the barrage with a two-run home run to left field. Four batters later, Chris Sutton followed with a three-run home run. Lyles added to his RBI count with a run-scoring single in the third. In the fourth inning, after the Reddies (38-15) cut the SAU lead to 10-4, Tucker Burton hit a two-run home run and Lyles collected his third hit in as many innings, a one-out double.
Conner Allen notched the Muleriders’ fourth home run of the contest, a solo shot in the sixth inning. Seven Muleriders scored multiple runs in the victory led by three apiece from Allen and Riley Orr. Lyles, Sutton and Burton each drove in three runs. Jack Liddell earned the win on the mound as he pitched 6.0 innings of four-run, three hit baseball.
In defeat, Kaden Argenbright and David Vilches hit home runs for the Reddies.
Lyles garnered the Tournament MVP honors. He went 9-for-17 in the four games with six RBI. Orr, Brett McGee and Jeremy Adorno joined Lyles on the All-Tournament Team from SAU. Orr scored six runs, McGee homered twice and Adorno improved to an NCAA-leading 14-0 on the season when he allowed one hit across 8.0 innings against Arkansas Tech.
Dillon Thomas, Spencer Taack and Andrew Howard represented the Reddies on the 12-member team. Thomas went 8-for-18 with four extra base hits. Taack tossed 6.2 shutout innings against Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday and Howard picked up two wins in relief by allowing only two hits over 5.2 innings of work.
Ouachita’s Jud Arrington and Dustin Bermudez, Arkansas Tech’s Shelby Quiggins and Josh Detweiler as well as Harding’s Joel Barker rounded out the All-Tournament Team.
The Muleriders secured the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Central Regional Championships. Henderson State began the GAC Championships ranked fourth in the region and in line to receive an at-large bid. The selection show streams on NCAA.com at 9 p.m. on Sunday.