MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Even though it's only the third of eight Great American Conference series for the Harding baseball team, this weekend's three-game set against Southern Arkansas could be critical in determining the Bisons' fate this season.
The teams begin the series with a Saturday doubleheader at 3 p.m. and conclude the series Sunday at 2 p.m.
Harding (18-8, 3-3) is currently fifth in the GAC standings, while Southern Arkansas (15-10, 5-4) is fourth.
In a strange scheduling twist, Southern Arkansas has played each of its three conference series on the road.
The Muleriders lost two of three at Southeastern Oklahoma to open conference play, then agreed to play Southwestern Oklahoma in Weatherford instead of at home in Magnolia because of the possibility of rain. It did not rain that weekend, and Southern Arkansas again lost two of three. SAU swept Arkansas-Monticello in three games in Monticello last weekend.
Harding is coming off a home series loss to East Central. The Bisons won the opener 1-0 before losing 6-5 and 5-2 in the last two games.
Of Harding's 26 games this season, 16 of them (62 percent) have been decided by one run. The Bisons are 10-6 in one-run games this season. Only 16 of Harding's 56 games in 2011 were decided by one run.
Harding's pitching staff may have to carry the team again this weekend. Southern Arkansas has a .319 team batting average, the best in the conference. Muleriders Trey Buck (2nd, .402) and Rafael Thomas (7th, .382) are among the top hitters in the GAC.
Harding continues to lead the conference in ERA (2.96) and opponents batting average (.213). All three of the Bisons' weekend starters—
Lucas Waddell (2nd, 1.95),
Logan Holthaus (8th, 2.56) and
Hayden Shirley (9th, 2.70)—are in the top 10 in the GAC in ERA.
Southern Arkansas also boasts one of the top pitchers in the GAC in sophomore James Baune, who is 4-0 with a conference-leading 1.45 ERA.
Magnolia has not been the friendliest of locations for Harding baseball in recent seasons. The Bisons' lone victory in Magnolia against the Muleriders in 14 matchups during the two teams' time in the Gulf South Conference came in 2006. Former All-American Justin Phillips was the Bisons' winning pitcher, tossing a complete game but needing 123 pitches to cover the seven innings.
Live statistics will be available for all three games on HardingSports.com courtesy Southern Arkansas Sports Information.
