Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
ABILENE, Texas – The Harding baseball team led 13th-ranked Abilene Christian in both games of Saturday's season-opening doubleheader but could not hold late leads and fell 16-9 and 6-5 to the Wildcats. The teams finish the four-game series with a doubleheader Sunday beginning at noon.
Harding junior Jason Nappi, a transfer from Mississippi State, had an outstanding beginning to his Bison career. Nappi hit a two-run home run in his first at-bat as a Bison to give Harding a 2-0 lead in the first inning. After walking in the third, Nappi hit a grand slam as part of a six-run fifth inning that put the Bisons in the lead at 9-8.
Abilene Christian (2-0) answered with eight runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Wildcats had six hits in the frame and benefited from two Bison errors.
Senior Troy Keith started on the mound for Harding (0-2) and allowed eight runs (five earned) in 3.1 innings. Junior Donny Stephens (0-1) came on in relief and suffered the loss, allowing two runs in 1.2 innings. Josh Crockett (1-0) picked up the win in relief for Abilene Christian.
Nappi was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and six RBI. Junior Adam Robertson with a run, sophomore Heath Boyd drove in two runs.
Harding had a 5-2 lead in game two after scoring five runs in the top of the fourth inning. The key blow of the inning was a two-run, bases loaded double from freshman Erin McCarver.
The Bisons threatened to blow the game open in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with one out before failing to score.
Abilene Christian answered with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 6-5 lead.
In the top of the seventh, Jason Nappi singled with one out. He then stole second as Harding's Anthony Guglielmi, who was 3-for-4 with a run scored, struck out for out two. Junior Trent Kinnear then laced a single to right field. Nappi attempted to score from second but was thrown out at the plate to end the game.
Senior Patrick Nappi (0-1) absorbed the loss in game two for Harding. He allowed six runs on 10 hits in 5.1 innings. Chay Lytle (1-0) picked up the win in relief for Abilene Christian.
Jason Nappi was 2-for-3 and ended the day with four hits in six at-bats.
