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SEARCY - Harding struggled to get hits in key moments of the game and fell 4-3 to Henderson State on Friday in the first game of a three-game Great American Conference series at Jerry Moore Field. The two teams conclude the series Saturday at noon.

The game started well for Harding (22-16, 13-9 GAC). Erin McCarver, James Anderson, and Noah Chandler each doubled in the first inning and Harding led 2-0. McCarver doubled with one out and scored on Anderson's two-base hit. Chandler drove in Anderson with his team-leading 11th double. After the first inning, the Bisons were hitless in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Harding starter Cameron Walker (3-4) did not allow a hit through the first four innings but ran into trouble in the fifth. Henderson State had five singles and a walk in the inning and scored four runs. Harding had only allowed five runs all season in the fifth, but the Reddies' four runs game them a 4-2 lead.

Harding cut the Henderson State lead to one with a run in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Wooldridge walked and McCarver hit his second double of the game off the right field wall. Wooldridge scored on a wild pitch by Henderson State starter Colton Lorance (5-2), but the Bisons could not score McCarver with the tying run.

Harding had the tying run in scoring position in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings also but came up empty each time.

Walker came out with two outs in the fifth. He allowed five hits and four earned runs, walking two and striking out six. The Bisons got a solid effort from sophomore Andrew Fiddler, who came in to get the last out of the fifth and pitched three innings, allowing four hits and striking out two. Zac Stewart picked up the final four outs for Harding.

Lorance lasted five innings in the win. He gave up six hits and three earned runs with two walks and a strike out.

Both teams had nine hits. McCarver and John Chapman had two each for Harding. Joseph Gray was 3-for-4 with a run scored to lead the Reddies.

Harding entered the series in fourth place in the GAC standings with the top six teams advancing to the GAC Tournament in Enid, Okla., on May 3-6. The Bisons retained that spot after the loss, but Ouachita Baptist is only one-half game behind Harding for fifth.

Henderson State is in eighth place in the GAC and trying to climb back into position for the sixth tournament spot.