ALVA, Okla.  – The Harding softball team lost both games in the Great  American Conference doubleheader at Northwestern Oklahoma on Friday. The Lady Bisons fell 9-3 in the first game and dropped the second game 11-3 in six innings.

Harding falls to 20-17 overall and 12-12 in the GAC. The Rangers improved to 23-9 overall and 13-5 in the GAC.

Game One

Harding jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first as Brookelynn Moon singled to knock in Kinsey Beck for the Lady Bisons first run. Kimmy Hendricks drove in Moon on a triple to right field and Marley Edwards hit a double down the left field line to score Hendricks. Northwestern Oklahoma held the Lady Bisons scoreless the rest of the way. The Lady Bisons left 12 runners on base and the Rangers left 10.

The Rangers answered back in the bottom of the first scoring five runs on four hits and two errors. Lindsay Santistevan hit a three-run home run to right field to propel Northwestern Oklahoma.

The Rangers added three more in the third and one in the fifth.

Edwards had three hits for Harding. Carolyn Clayton and Courtney Derrick had two hits.

Shelby Anderson (13-3) got the win for Harding. Anderson, who has the best ERA in the GAC, gave up 10 hits and three runs. Amber Rollins (12-7) got the loss for Harding. She pitched three innings and struck out three.

Six errors were recorded in the game. Northwestern Oklahoma had four and Harding had two.

Game Two

Harding got on the board first with a run in the first inning. Carolyn Clayton knocked in Courtney Derrick to give the Lady Bisons the lead. Northwestern Oklahoma took the lead in the bottom of the fourth scoring three runs on two doubles.

Amanda Berdon homered in the fifth inning and then she double down the right field line to score Madison Wickline in the sixth to tie the game for Harding.

The Rangers scored eight runs in the bottom of the sixth led by a grandslam by Shyanne Nichols. Northwestern Oklahoma had seven hits in the inning.

Kellie Mason (10-5) got the win for Northwestern Oklahoma. Mason gave up nine hits, three runs and struck out four. Megan Gipe (1-2) got the loss for Harding in one inning of relief.

Amanda Berdon and Kinsey Beck both had two hits for the Lady Bisons.

The two teams will wrap up their series tomorrow at 12 p.m.