ENID, Okla. – The Harding baseball team fell just short in its journey to the Great American Conference Tournament championship game. In a contest that had 25 runners left on base, Harding fell 4-2 to Arkansas-Monticello, who advances to meet Southern Arkansas for the title.

Harding, who finished the season 29-22, sent the potential tying run to the plate in each of the last four innings and left 12 runners on in the game. The Boll Weevils (32-19) left 13 runners on base.

Trailing 4-1 in the sixth, Harding's Erin McCarver hit a fly ball to the warning track in left with two outs and two on to end the inning. In the seventh, Matt Calhoun flew out to right, again to the warning track, with two runners on to end the inning. A double play with the bases loaded ended the eighth.

Harding cut the Arkansas-Monticello advantage to two runs on a Billy Ninemire RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, but again the Bisons left two runners on for the fourth straight inning.

Lucas Waddell (4-6) started for the second time in four days and allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits in 2 2/3 innings. Bronson Smith came on the third and pitched the final 6 1/3 innings and gave up only three hits and one earned run while striking out six.

UAM starter Logan Johnson (3-1) pitched 6 2/3 innings and earned the win. Brent Noble pitched 2 1/3 innings for his second save.

Trent Wooldridge and Gabe Fyock each had three hits for the Bisons. Calhoun and Ninemire had two hits.