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Box Score 2 SEARCY – Five Harding pitchers did not give up an earned run Sunday as the Bisons won both games of a doubleheader over Missouri S&T at Jerry Moore Field. Harding won the opener 3-2 and took game two 3-0.
The victories completed a three-game sweep of Missouri S&T and moved Harding to 5-0 on the season ahead of Tuesday's non-conference road game against Ouachita Baptist in Arkadelphia, Ark. Missouri S&T managed only three hits in the doubleheader and dropped to 0-3.
The teams combined to go 5-for-24 with runners on base and stranded 21 base-runners in game one.
The Bisons finally took advantage in the bottom of the ninth to earn the victory. With two outs and the game tied 2-2, Matt Calhoun walked against Missouri S&T reliever Harry Lunsford. Redshirt freshman Zac Stewart, who was the winning pitcher in game one of the series, came on to pinch run for Calhoun. With an 0-2 count and Stewart on the move, junior Jeremy Bohnett lined a double down the right-field line to score Stewart with the game-winning run.
Bohnett, who was 2-for-4, almost broke the tie in the seventh inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Bohnett hit a line drive into the left-center field gap, but Missouri S&T centerfielder Kyle Rich made a diving catch to end the inning.
Missouri S&T tied the game in the top of the seventh when Nick Ulrich reached on an error and scored from third on a bases loaded walk to Rich.
Erin McCarver's infield single in the bottom of the fifth that scored Kyle Atkins gave Harding a 2-1 lead. Missouri S&T had tied the game at 1-1 on an RBI single by Rich in the top of the inning.
Harding's first run came in the third on Atkins' RBI double that scored Gabe Fyock.
Bison sophomore Josh Spears (2-0) came on with the bases loaded in the seventh and induced a double play to end the inning. He allowed only one hit over 2 2/3 innings and struck out three to earn the win.
Harding did all its damage in the first inning of game two. The Bisons scored three times on three hits. Atkins led off the inning with a triple and scored on Trent Wooldridge's single to center. Wooldridge stole second and third and scored on Billy Ninemire's double to right. Ninemire moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Bohnett's sacrifice fly to left.
Ninemire had two of Harding's five hits in game two, both were doubles.
The three runs were more than enough for Harding starter Hayden Shirley (2-0). The senior went 6.0 innings and did not allow a hit until Rich singled to right with two outs in the sixth. Shirley threw 52 of his 84 pitches for strikes and struck out six.
Bronson Smith pitched a perfect seventh for his second save.
Thomas Laudadio (0-1) allowed three earned runs in six innings for Missouri S&T and took the loss.
