Box Score

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Harding senior Charles Bradley had three hits and sophomore Billy Ninemire hit a two-run triple to lead the Bisons to a 4-2 victory over Alabama-Huntsville on the first day of the Gulf South Conference Tournament at USA Stadium.

Harding improved to 38-10 with the victory and moved into the winners' bracket matchup with North Alabama on Saturday at 1 p.m. North Alabama defeated Delta State 10-5 in the tournament's first game. Alabama-Huntsville and Delta State meet Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in the losers' bracket.

Senior right-hander Brodie Brumley (4-4) limited Alabama-Huntsville to only two hits over 6 1/3 innings before leaving with a blister on his pitching hand.

“I was feeling the blister in the fifth inning and sixth inning,” Brumley said. “I eventually had to tell Coach to come get me because I was getting too wild.”

But Brumley gave the Bisons exactly what they needed in the first game of the tournament.

“I felt great. I threw the ball well and was getting it across for strikes,” said Brumley, who still held the game ball in his hand during his postgame interviews. “This was by far one of the biggest moments of my life.”

“Brodie Brumley gave everything we could have hoped for,” said Harding head coach Dr. Patrick McGaha. “You want your starters to go deep, especially early in a tournament.”

Bradley lined his third double of the season down the leftfield line to open Harding's scoring in the second inning. Junior Chase Presley made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.

“Our coaches told us that [UAH starter Ryan Frevert] starts you out outside and comes back in,” said Bradley. “That's what he did and the pitch I hit was right there.”

Brumley retired the first 10 hitters he faced before walking Jon McKinney and Grant DeBruin with one out in the fourth. Jordan Parker's two-out single scored McKinney to cut Harding's lead to 2-1.

Harding answered in the bottom of the inning with Ninemire's triple to right that scored Bradley and Paul Anzalone.

Brumley continued his mastery of Alabama-Huntsville by setting down the Chargers in order in the fifth and sixth innings. In the sixth, Anzalone made diving catches on each of the first two outs that saved potential extra-base hits.

In the seventh, Alabama-Huntsville's Eric Deese led off with only the second hit of the game for the Chargers. After a fielder's choice that left Parker at first, Brumley hit Justin Riddle and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Three pitches later, Brumley signaled to McGaha that he was having an issue with his pitching hand.

“He scared me a little bit when he called me out,” McGaha said. “He's never done that in his career, so I knew there was a problem. He's never had a blister in his career.”

Senior Donny Stephens came on and retired the next two hitters. In the eighth, UAH cut the lead to 4-2 on a DeBruin sacrifice fly, but Ninemire came on to pitch the ninth to pick up his third save.

“Donny Stephens really came in and shut the door,” McGaha said. “If they score those two runs, they are right back in it.”

Left-hander Ryan Frevert (5-4) pitched a complete game but suffered the loss for Alabama-Huntsville. Harding improved to 13-0 this season against left-handed starting pitchers.

It was the third time Harding played Alabama-Huntsville in four appearances in the GSC Tournament, and Friday's win made the Bisons 3-0 in those games.

Harding and North Alabama split two games in Searcy on March 9.