SOU-Mary Hardin-Baylor Boxscore

The Southern Oregon Raiders used a pair fumble recoveries for touchdowns today to knock off a powerful Mary Hardin-Baylor squad 40-28 today at Raider Stadium in Ashland.

The Raiders have now won back-to-back games and improved to 3-5 overall. Mary Hardin-Baylor, ranked third in this week's NCAA Division III rankings, fell to 6-1 overall.

"We came out and played one of our most well-rounded games of the year," SOU Head Coach Steve Helminiak said. "Offensively and defensively we made big plays. It was special to send our seniors out with a win like this. I couldn't be more proud of this team."

After the two teams traded punts, the Raiders got on the board first on a 24-yard tochdown pass from #J.C. Hunsaker to (Santa Ana, Calif./Tustin)Brandon Stout#.

The Crusaders answered right back on a 7-yard run by Josh Landrum and the two teams were even at 7-7.

SOU came back and in a drive highlighted by a face punt that resulted in 27 yard gain, took a 14-7 lead on a 9-yard strike from Hunsaker to Darryl Price (Corona, Calif./Ontario). The Raiders went 80 yards in 16 plays during the scoring drive and knocked 6:32 off the second quarter clock.

The Raiders then got the ball back and when the offense sputtered, senior punted Steve Palmer (Eugene, Ore./Sheldon) pinned the Crusaders on their own 3-yard-line. SOU's defense then got on the board, pushing the lead to 21-7 when Courtney Robinson (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks) hit UMHB quarterback Josh Saenz in the end zone forcing a fumble and Ben Baker (Susanville, Calif./Lassen) picked up the ball for an SOU touchdown.

The Crusaders came right back and scored two quick touchdowns in under four minutes to tie the game at 21-21 at halftime.

SOU came out in the third quarter and after forcing UMHB to punt to start the second half, drove the ball 46 yards on six plays and took a 28-21 lead on a 2-yard run by senior running back Marlon Rosales (San Jose, Calif./Santa Teresa).

The SOU defense forced the Crusaders to punt on their next possession and pushed the lead to 34-21 on a 17-yard pass from Hunsaker to Stout.

Mary Hardin-Baylor used a 47-yard fumble return to cut the lead to 34-28 with 3:01 left in the third quarter.

But again it was Palmer teaming with the Raider defense to give the Raiders more breathing room.

Palmer's 40-yard punt put the Crusaders on their own 5-yard-line and on their second offensive play of the series, Saenz' option pitch landed in the end zone where SOU's Byron Sconiers (Fresno, Calif./Central) fell on it for a Raider touchdown and a 40-28 advantage that would hold through the fourth quarter.

Rosales went for 100 yards for the fourth time on the season and second-straight game with a game-high 139 yards. Hansaker, in his second career start, completed 21 of 32 passes for 150 yards and three touchdowns.

The SOU defense held the high-powered UMHB offense to 305 yards.

Kevin Harrell (Napa, Calif./Vintage) led the SOU defense with nine tackles.

The Raiders are off until Nov. 8 when they travel to South Dakota. 

Photo Gallery By Ken Royce