Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
ABILENE, Texas – Harding dropped the final two games of a four-game series to 13th-ranked Abilene Christian on Sunday. The Wildcats defeated the Bisons 8-2 in game one and 4-2 in game two. Harding returns to Searcy on Tuesday for a doubleheader against Gulf South Conference East Division opponent North Alabama.
In the opener, Abilene Christian (4-0) plated runs in each of the first three innings off Harding starter sophomore Hayden Shirley (0-1). The Wildcats led 5-0 after two innings before the Bisons answered with a two-run, bases loaded single from junior Jason Nappi. Abilene added a run in the third and two more in the fifth for the final margin.
Shirley lasted 4.0 innings and allowed eight runs on nine hits. Freshman Tyler Billen came on in relief of Shirley and pitched well in his collegiate debut. Billen, a left-hander from Edmond, Okla., pitched the final two innings and allowed only one hit while striking out three without a walk.
Travis Latz was 2-for-4 with three RBI for Abilene Christian, and Will Calhoun went 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
Zach Sneed (1-0) collected the win on the mound for the Wildcats. He pitched 5.0 innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits.
Harding received its best pitching outing of the weekend in game two. Sophomore Alex Smith (0-1) made just his third career start and gave up only two earned runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings. Sophomore Jacob Giles closed out the game for the Bisons, allowing one hit in 2/3 of an inning.
Abilene Christian took a 2-0 lead in the first and held it until the sixth when Harding answered with two of its own. The Bisons loaded the bases twice in the inning and picked up RBIs from junior Trent Kinnear and freshman pinch hitter Jordan Abrams.
The Wildcats then recorded their third come-from-behind victory in the four-game series with two runs in the top of the seventh. Brett Bochsler reached on an error with one out and scored the eventual game-winning run on an RBI double Cameron Bankston, who came around to score the fourth run on Steve Camillucci's single.
Brad Rutherford (1-0) earned the win in relief for Abilene Christian, pitching the final 1 1/3 innings for the Wildcats.
