Harding (0-0) vs. Christian Brothers (0-0)
Location: Searcy, Ark.
When: Saturday
Time: 12 p.m. - Doubleheader
Coaches:
Harding – Phil Berry (32-26, 2nd season)
Christian Brothers – Mandi Balduf (1st season)
Live Stats – Available on a link at HardingSports.com
HARDING
- Harding looks to get off to a great start in 2015 on Saturday as they host Christian Brothers in non-conference action at the Harding Softball Field for a doubleheader that starts at 12 p.m.
- The Lady Bisons are coming off their inaugural season. Harding posted a 32-26 overall record and went 22-18 in Great American Conference action to finish fifth in the GAC standings.
- Harding returns its two starting pitchers for the 2015 season. Amber Rollins returns for her senior season. Rollins was named Second Team All-GAC and was named to the GAC All-Tournament Team last season. She had a 2.66 ERA in 202.1 innings pitched. She led the GAC and ranked 46th in NCAA Division II in strikeouts with 205. Junior Danielle Hubbard returns to the circle for Harding. Hubbard had a 5.40 ERA last season in 129.2 innings pitched.
- Harding also returns 13 position players and all nine starters from last season.
- Four Lady Bisons will be making their debut on Saturday - junior pitcher Taylor Friend, who transferred to Harding from Three Rivers Community College, freshman infielder Chandler Little (Cave City, Ark.), freshman outfielder Anna Lowery (Searcy, Ark.) and Kylie Stephens (Mount Airy, Ga.).
- Harding hit .312 last season to rank third in the GAC. Three players hit over that mark last season. Sophomore outfielder Courtney Derrick led the Lady Bisons, hitting .388. She also had 81 hits to rank third in the GAC. Junior infielder Kinsey Beck hit .339 with 10 doubles and 20 RBIs and sophomore outfielder Brookelynn Moon hit .333 with 11 doubles, six homeruns and 31 RBIs.
- The Lady Bisons opened last season with a 6-4 win over Northeastern State in the Tarleton State Classic. Courtney Derrick had three hits for Harding and one RBI.
- Harding went 19-5 at home last season. The Lady Bisons didn't allow any opponent to beat them more than once at home last season. Harding swept Arkansas Tech and Southwestern Oklahoma in Searcy.
- The Lady Bisons had 202 hits at home including 32 doubles, five triples and eight homeruns. Harding also had a 2.77 ERA in 167.0 innings pitched. The pitching staff had 142 strikeouts and held their opponents to only a .280 batting average.
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS
- Christian Brothers, who is a NCAA Division II member of the Gulf South Conference, will also be opening its season on Saturday. The Lady Bucs went 9-40 last season and finished 11th in the GSC standings.
- Christian Brothers' top returner is sophomore infielder Kylie Steagall who hit .287 last season and led the team in RBIs with 28.
- The Lady Bucs also return their number one pitcher Kasey Beekman who had a 5.03 ERA in 23 appearances.
- Christian Brothers is coached by Mandi Balduf who is in her first season at the helm.
SERIES
- The series is tied 1-1.
- Harding won the first game of the doubleheader last season in Memphis, Tenn., 5-1 but fell in the second game 12-10.
- Amber Rollins posted a 0.72 ERA against Christian Brothers last season. She pitched 9 2-3 innings and struck out seven batters. Courtney Derrick had five hits in eight at bats for Harding and sophomore catcher Kimmy Hendricks drove in four runs.
