Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
SEARCY – Delta State, ranked 16th in the most recent NCAA II poll, defeated Harding 8-1 and 5-3 in a pair of baseball games played Saturday at Jerry Moore Field.
Delta State (24-10, 9-2 Gulf South Conference) collected 15 hits in the opener. Leftfielder Brian Williamson went 3-for-4 and hit his eighth home run of the season. Derek Norris drove in three runs and Devin Goodwin went 3-for-3 for the Statesmen.
Harding (14-18, 2-9) did not have a hit until a Clay Kiihnl double in the seventh inning off DSU starter Rusty Rayborn (7-1), who had 11 strikeouts in a complete game effort. The Bisons’ lone run scored on a double play in the eighth inning.
Kenny Barnett (3-3) suffered the loss for the Bisons. Barnett allowed 11 hits and five runs (four earned) in 6.1 innings.
Trailing 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh and last inning of game two, Harding rallied to score two before the rally fizzled with the tying run on second base.
The Bisons outhit the Statesmen 6-5 in game two, with Danny Bryant and Bo Whitaker each lashing two hits for Harding. Gary Scott Gabbert extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a pair of hits for the Statesmen.
Justin Phillips (4-1) endured his first loss of the season for the Bisons, despite a strong effort. Phillips allowed five hits and four earned runs in 7.0 innings and struck out five.
Chris Weast (5-1) earned the win, pitching 6.1 innings, and Justin Smith got the final two outs for his fourth save.
The two teams meet for the series’ final game Sunday at 1 p.m. at Jerry Moore Field.
