Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SEARCY – Harding scored the winning run in the last inning of game one, and East Central scored the winning run in the last inning of game two as the teams split a Great American Conference doubleheader Saturday at Jerry Moore Field.

Harding won the opener 1-0, with East Central winning game two 6-5.

Harding, ranked 30th in Division II, is now 18-7 overall and 3-2 in GAC play. East Central is 15-12 overall and 4-3 in GAC play.

In the bottom of the ninth inning in game one, senior Chase Presley walked to lead off the inning. With a 1-0 count, junior Billy Ninemire executed a perfect hit-and-run to right field that sent Presley around to third base. As the hit rolled into right, it got under the glove of East Central right fielder Josh Whittle, who had just entered the game as a defensive replacement. Presley hesitated at third but eventually came home with the winning run.

Sophomore Cameron Walker (5-0) earned his fifth straight relief win, pitching 2 2/3 innings and allowing one hit and striking out three. Starter Logan Holthaus got his fifth straight no-decision, allowing only two hits and no runs while striking out five.

East Central reliever Gabriel Martinez (1-4) came into the game in the eighth and took the loss.

There were only eight hits in the game, five for Harding and three for East Central.

Harding battled back from two deficits in game two. The Bisons trailed 3-0 and 5-3. Sophomore Matt Calhoun's two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth tied the game for a second time.

East Central won it in the seventh on a solo home run by Rick Hepworth, his second hit and third run scored in the game.
Harding had the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh but did not score.

Reliever Andrew Fiddler (2-2) allowed only one hit, the home run by Hepworth, over three innings but took the loss.

East Central reliever Donny Williams (2-0) pitched the sixth for East Central and got the win. Heath Stuckey pitched the seventh for his third save.

Harding had 10 hits in game two, with two each from Kyle Atkins, Jeremy Bohnett and Chris Hardey. Hepworth was the only East Central player with more than one hit.

The two teams meet Sunday at 1 p.m. for the final game of the series.