SEARCY – Senior Kyle Atkins doubled in senior Gabe Fyock in the bottom of the eighth to give Harding a 3-2 victory over Arkansas-Fort Smith in non-conference baseball action Wednesday at Jerry Moore Field.

Harding (10-4) won for the ninth time in ten home games this season. Arkansas-Fort Smith (9-6) had its four-game winning streak snapped and left 11 runners on base.

Harding trailed 2-1 entering the bottom of the eighth. Erin McCarver walked to lead off the inning and was replaced by pinch-runner John Chapman, who advanced to third on a wild pickoff throw by UAFS' Darrin Pittman.

Pittman retired Harding's next two hitters before Fyock laid a two-out bunt down the third base line that scored Chapman with the tying run. Fyock advanced to second on a throwing error and scored the eventual game-winning run on Atkins' double down the right field line.

Arkansas-Fort Smith had the potential tying and winning runs on base in the top of the ninth against Harding closer Bronson Smith. Smith struck out the first two hitters of the inning before Madison Beaird doubled and advanced to third on a passed ball. Ben Smith then walked, bringing designated hitter Koby Chadick to the plate.

With a 1-1 count on Chadick, Bronson Smith's next pitch got away from Harding catcher Chris Hardey. Beaird broke from third to try to score the tying run, but stopped short of the plate and tried to retreat to first. Hardey recovered the ball and caught Beaird in a run-down with Bronson Smith eventually tagging Beaird for the final out.

Harding sophomore reliever Josh Spears (3-0) earned the win, pitching a scoreless eighth inning. Smith collected his fourth save of the season and tied Trevor Black (1990-93) as Harding's career saves leader with 15.

Trailing 2-0, Atkins walked to lead off the seventh, stole second and third, and scored on Jeremy Bohnett's ground out to shortstop.

Arkansas-Fort Smith scored a single run in the third off Harding starter Collin Campbell and made it 2-0 in the fourth with a run off reliever Tyler Stanford.

Harding managed only four hits in the game, two of them from Fyock, who recorded his fifth multi-hit game of the season.

UAFS reliever Jordan Hammer (1-1), who gave up the bunt single to Fyock and the game-winning hit to Atkins, suffered the loss.

Harding returns to Great American Conference play Friday and Saturday when it hosts East Central for a three-game series. Check HardingSports.com for live audio, video and statistics links.