Box Score

SEARCY – Harding used a two-run seventh inning to break a tie and sweep Christian Brothers in a three-game Gulf South Conference series.

The Bisons took game three of the series 4-2 on Sunday after winning 9-2 and 4-0 on Saturday. Harding is in a three-way tie with Delta State and Arkansas Tech for first place in the GSC West Division after one weekend of play.

Harding has won seven straight and improved to 23-4 on the season and 3-0 in GSC play. Christian Brothers fell to 14-8.

Harding held a 2-0 lead after six innings, but Bison sophomore starter Logan Holthaus walked consecutive batters with one out in the seventh. CBU designated hitter Josh Williams' single loaded the bases. Will Wilson flied out to center field for out two, but Buc junior Brent Goode lined the first pitch he saw off Holthaus' pitching arm to drive in a run and cut the Bison lead to 2-1.

Sophomore Lucas Waddell (4-0) came in out of the bullpen for Harding and hit the first batter he faced, Jimmy Franklin, on the arm to force in the tying run. With the bases still loaded, Waddell struck out Alfredo Arroyo to end the rally.

Harding's Charles Bradley opened the bottom of the inning with a bunt single. One out later, Chase Presley chopped a ground ball down the third base line. Christian Brothers pitcher Jake Garbuzinski (1-3) raced over to field the ball, but his throw sailed over the head of Arroyo at first base, and Bradley scored all the way from first to give the Bisons a 3-2 lead. Presley went to third on the error and scored on sophomore Billy Ninemire's single up the middle.

Waddell shut down the Buccaneers over the last two innings and ended the game on a nicely-turned 5-4-3 double play. Waddell struck out four in his 2 1/3 innings of work, in only his second relief outing of the season.

Holthaus went 6 2/3 innings and allowed four hits and two earned runs, striking out five. He left the park after the game with the Harding athletic training staff to have x-rays taken on his right arm.

Garbuzinski allowed eight hits and three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings.

Harding took a 1-0 lead in the game on an RBI single by Paul Anzalone in the second. Anzalone extended his team-leading hitting streak to 11 games. Senior Jason Nappi led off the sixth with a walk and came around to score on Anthony Guglielmi's infield single.

Harding returns to action Tuesday in Searcy against Lyon College. The teams will play a single, nine-inning, non-conference game. Junior Alex Smith is likely to start on the mound for the Bisons.