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SEARCY – Harding's Trent Wooldridge, Erin McCarver, and James Anderson had three hits each and the Bisons scored in five straight innings to defeat Northwestern Oklahoma 11-4 on Saturday in Great American Conference action.

The two teams complete the three-game series Sunday with a noon doubleheader.

Harding (17-13, 9-7) trailed 3-0 after Northwestern hit back-to-back home runs in the second inning. Patrick Hodges hit a two-run home run, and Daniel Bolanos followed with a solo homer. It was the first home run of the season for both hitters.

After that, Harding starting pitcher Cameron Walker (3-2) settled in, and the Bison bats took over.

Harding took the lead with four runs on four hits in the bottom of the third. Northwestern starter Zach Postoak (2-4) came out after the first five Bison hitters in the inning reached safely.

Postoak allowed four earned runs in two-plus innings and took the loss.

Two more Harding runs scored in the fourth on an RBI single by Anderson and a run-scoring double by Noah Chandler. A three-run fifth was highlighted by McCarver's RBI single. He came around to score on a wild pitch.

Harding tacked on a run in the sixth on Harrison Hunter's RBI single. He hit a tapper out in front of home plate and beat Northwestern catcher Alex Marquez's throw to first. Davis Richardson, who had doubled with two outs, came all the way around from second to score on the play.

Matt Calhoun drove in his team-leading 25th RBI with a ground ball that plated McCarver from third in the seventh to close out the scoring.

Harding reliever Andrew Fiddler did not allow a hit and struck out three over the final three innings to earn his first save of the season.

Bolanos was the only Ranger with multiple hits. He was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Northwestern (16-14, 5-11) is not eligible for the GAC Tournament as a provisional member of the conference this season.

McCarver is now 7-for-14 (.500) in four games against the Rangers in his career. Anderson's multi-hit game was his team-leading 11th of the season and his sixth game with three hits or more. Wooldridge had his second three-hit game.