Southern Arkansas tops Bronchos

Muleriders rally from 3-0 deficit for 4-3 win

ABILENE, Texas -- Southern Arkansas pitcher Cody Jones threw a complete game Thursday afternoon to lead the Muleriders to a 4-3 win over Central Oklahoma in the first game of the NCAA Division II South Central Region tournament at Crutcher Scott Field.

Jones, who threw 123 pitches to improve to 12-3 on the season, gave up nine hits, but struck out 10 Bronchos to pick up the win and send his team into the winner's bracket.  The Muleriders (39-16) will play Friday at 8 p.m. against the winner of the Montevallo-West Alabama game.

Jones picked up his ninth complete game of the season in his 15th start, and his first strikeout of the game set the school's single-season record (106), and he finished the game with 115 strikeouts on the season.

The Mulriders got the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning when Jeremy Hambrice singled to drive in Kolby Tucker with the run that put SAU ahead 4-3.

The Bronchos jumped out to a 3-0 lead, thanks to a two-run fifth inning that was keyed by an RBI single by Miguel Moctezuma and RBI double by Bryce Columbus.

But the Muleriders fought back in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of runs, both scoring on a two-run single by Lance Colvin.  Southern Arkansas got the game tied in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run by Derek Weldon.