BENTONVILLE, Ark. – The Harding softball team fell to Truman State 1-0 and No. 18 Emporia State 4-2 on Friday on the first day of the Division II Arkansas-Monticello Softball Classic. The Lady Bisons fell to 2-6 on the season.

GAME ONE

Neither team got on the scoreboard in the first two innings. Truman State tallied its only run in the top of the third when Devin Gudehus knocked in Haley Wells from second.

Harding had a chance to tie the game in the sixth inning when it had the bases loaded with one out. Two straight pop ups ended the inning for the Lady Bisons.

Kelsea Dorey throw the complete game shutout for the Bulldogs. She gave up four hits and struck out five. Senior Amber Rollins got the loss for Harding. She went the distance and struck out five.

Courtney Derrick, Kimmy Hendricks, Mackenzie Jones and Emily Jones all had a hit for Harding.

GAME TWO

No. 18 Emporia State got on the board first in the top of the second inning. With runners and second and third, Caitlin VanVleck hit a single up the middle that scored both runs.

The Hornets tacked on two more in the fifth when Stephanie Goodwin hit a double to center field that scored a run and then Kaitlyn Caston hit a sacrifice fly to center.

Harding got a run back in the bottom of the inning when sophomore Kimmy Hendricks singled to the shortstop to knock in Courtney Derrick from third.

The Lady Bisons got their second run in the sixth when senior Carolyn Clayton hit her first homerun of the season.

Kaitlyn Caston pitched all seven innings to earn the win for Emporia State. She gave up eight hits, two runs and struck out two. Sophomore starting pitcher Danielle Hubbard got the loss. She pitched 4 1-3 innings and struck out three. Freshman Taylor Friend came on in relief for Harding and pitched 2 2-3 scoreless innings.

Derrick and Clayton both had two hits in the game for the Lady Bisons.

Harding will be back in action on Saturday when they face Nebraska-Kearney at 11 a.m. and William Jewell at 3 p.m., on day two of the UAM Classic.