Box Score

SEARCY – Harding freshman Matt Calhoun had not started a game for the Bisons in almost six weeks. But with regular starter Billy Ninemire out with an injured hand, Calhoun returned to the lineup and made the most of his opportunity, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and five RBI.

A native of Searcy, Calhoun singled with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to drive in the tying and winning runs and give 19th-ranked Harding an 11-10 victory over Delta State in the final game of a three-game Gulf South Conference series at Jerry Moore Field.

With the win, Harding improved to 36-10 overall and moved into a three-way tie for first place in the GSC West Division at 13-5. Delta State and Arkansas Tech are also 13-5 in conference. Harding plays at Arkansas Tech next weekend in its final conference series. The Bisons have already qualified for one of four spots from the West Division in the GSC Tournament, beginning May 6 in Millington, Tenn.

Calhoun hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning that gave the Bisons a 5-4 lead. It was his second home run of the season.

Delta State (28-16, 13-5) battled back and scored one in the fifth to tie it at 5-5. Harding then retook the lead, 8-5, in the bottom of the inning on another three-run home run, this one from senior Jason Nappi, who had been hitless in his first nine at-bats in the series.

A three-run double by Delta State's Kellen Bozeman in the sixth keyed a four-run sixth that put the Statesmen ahead 9-8. Delta State tacked on another run in the seventh.

Harding (36-10, 13-5) scored one in the eighth on pinch-hitter Anthony Guglielmi's RBI double to cut the Delta State lead to 10-9.

In the bottom of the ninth, Jason Nappi led off with a single deep in the hole to short on the ninth pitch he saw from Delta State reliever David Mooney (2-2). Erin McCarver then laid down a bunt, attempting to sacrifice Nappi to second, but Mooney was slow off the mound and McCarver reached on an infield single. Trent Kinnear then sacrificed and the runners moved up to second and third. Delta State walked Jeremy Bohnett intentionally to load the bases and set up the double play.

Calhoun took a curveball for ball one and a fastball for strike one. He went down to get the third pitch, another curveball, and looped it into right field between the two Delta State outfielders. Both outfielders overran the ball, and Nappi scored easily from third while McCarver followed close behind him with the game-winning run.

Calhoun began the season as Harding's starting first baseman, but struggled early. Last weekend against Henderson State, he came in as a pinch hitter in the ninth and singled in a run to keep a rally going, and Harding came back to win the game.

Saturday's game was Calhoun's first multi-hit as a collegiate player and only the second game this season that any Harding player had five or more RBI in a game.

Harding freshman Bronson Smith (4-3) earned the win in relief. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning and struck out one. Bison starter Logan Holthaus went 4 1/3 innings and allowed eight hits and three earned runs.

Mooney came on in relief of Delta State starter Brandon Hardin in the fifth. Mooney pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed seven hits and three earned runs. Hardin lasted four innings and yielded six hits and eight runs (four earned).

Harding plays its final home game of the season Tuesday against Ouachita Baptist in a nine-inning game that begins at 3 p.m.