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SEARCY – The Harding baseball squad split the first two games of a Gulf South Conference series with 21st-ranked Delta State on Saturday at Jerry Moore Field, winning the opener 8-7 in 10 innings and dropping game two 9-4. The series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.
Harding (15-16, 3-4 GSC) trailed 7-4 in game one going into the bottom of the eighth inning but scored three runs to force extra innings. Neither team scored in the ninth, but Harding loaded the bases with one out in the tenth and freshman Erin McCarver came through with the game-winning hit to score Clay West.
Senior Patrick Nappi (2-2) earned the win in relief, allowing only two hits and no runs in 3 2/3 innings of work. Troy Keith started and gave up six earned runs on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings and struck out five.
West went 3-for-5 for the Bisons. Jason Nappi hit his team-leading fifth home run of the season in the fourth, and sophomore Heath Boyd hit his first collegiate home run in the fifth.
Reliever Brent Hallmark (1-1) suffered his first loss of the season for Delta State. He allowed two hits and his first earned run in 12 2/3 innings pitched this season. Statesmen starter Cody Kelley gave up seven earned runs in 7 1/3 innings.
The win over Delta State was Harding's first in eight games this season against a nationally-ranked opponent.
Harding managed only five hits off Delta State starter Jason Coats (5-0) in game two.
McCarver was 2-for-2 for the Bisons in game two with his second home run of the season. Anthony Guglielmi also had two hits and scored two runs.
Kyle Cline (2-4) lasted 3 1/3 innings on the mound for Harding and gave up seven earned runs on seven hits.
