Harding Baseball

Harding (19-13) vs. Union (TN) (10-21)

Location: Jerry Moore Field, Searcy, Ark.

Times: Tuesday, Apr. 1 at 3 p.m.

Series: Union leads 4-2

Coaches: Harding – Dr. Patrick McGaha (253-196, 9th season at Harding); Union (TN) – Brent Fronabarger (260-168, 9th season at Union (TN))

Coverage: Links available for live stats and live video on HardingSports.com.

Harding takes on Union (TN) for a non-conference game Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Jerry Moore Field. The Bisons are 8-6 in non-conference games this season.

Harding enters the game with a three-game winning streak. The Bisons swept Northwestern Oklahoma in a Great American Conference series Saturday and Sunday in Searcy. Harding won 11-4, 10-5, and 4-2. Sophomore Noah Chandler was 7-for-11 (.636) with three runs and three RBI in the series.

Harding and Union will be playing for the seventh time. The two teams split two games in Searcy last season with the Bulldogs winning the opener 15-5 and the Bisons winning game two 3-1. The two teams are also scheduled to play again on Apr. 8 in Jackson, Tenn.

That's odd. The Bisons have outscored their opponents in every odd-numbered inning this season, doing the most damage in the fifth and seventh innings. Harding has outscored its opponents 26-5 in the fifth and 29-3 in the seventh. The Bisons hit .292 in odd-numbered innings and .255 in even-numbered. Harding's pitching numbers are even more dramatic. The Bisons have a 1.87 team ERA in odd innings and 5.45 in even innings.

Harding currently leads the Great American Conference in both ERA and fielding percentage. The Bisons' 3.48 ERA is just ahead of Arkansas-Monticello's 3.49, and Harding's .976 fielding percentage is ahead of second-place Southwestern Oklahoma's .974. The Bisons have turned a GAC-high 38 double plays.

Harding sophomore Jacob Stripling is expected to start Tuesday's game. He is 1-2 this season with a 2.12 ERA. He will be making his fifth start after allowing two earned runs or fewer in each of his first four.

Bison sophomore Andrew Fiddler leads the GAC in opponents' batting average. Rival hitters are batting only .175 against the right-hander.

Harding sophomore shortstop John Chapman is tied for the conference lead with 95 assists. He has a .957 fielding percentage.

Union, a provisional member of the Gulf South Conference, won one of three games in a home conference series against Valdosta State over the weekend. The Bulldogs have a .249 batting average and a 5.22 ERA.