BETHANY, Oklahoma – The Harding softball team opened Great American Conference play on Friday winning the first game of the doubleheader at Southern Nazarene 6-2 but fell in the second game 8-5. The Lady Bisons move to 4-8 on the season and 1-1 in the GAC.
GAME ONE
Harding went 4-for-6 with runners in scoring position as it defeated Southern Nazarene 6-2 to open its Great American Conference season.
After a scoreless first and second inning, Harding scored five in the third and one in the fifth. Mackenzie Jones and Amanda Berdon both knocked in three runs for the Lady Bisons.
In the third inning with the bases loaded, Jones hit a single to center field to knock in two runs. The next batter, Berdon, hit a 3-run homer to left field to give the Lady Bisons a 5-0 lead. It was her second homerun of the season.
With Kimmy Hendricks at second in the fifth inning, Jones drove her in on a single down the left field line.
Harding had seven hits in the game as they only left two batters on.
Southern Nazarene got both of its runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on three hits.
Amber Rollins got the win for Harding as she improved her record to 3-2 on the season. Rollins went the distance giving up eight hits and striking out nine batters. Kayla Wyatt got the loss for Southern Nazarene and falls to 2-2 on the season.
GAME TWO
Southern Nazarene opened the game with three runs on five hits including a solo homerun by Sam Smith. The Crimson Storm went onto win 8-5.
Harding got a run back in the second when Meghan Hall doubled down the left field line to score Emily Jones.
The Crimson Storm tacked on two more in the fourth before Marley Edwards hit a solo homerun to right center for the Lady Bisons in the fifth.
Southern Nazarene got its last three runs in the sixth on three straight singles.
Harding's comeback fell short in the seventh after scoring three runs with the bases loaded.
The Lady Bisons left 11 runners on the game and was 2-of-9 with runners in scoring position.
Harding was led by Brookelynn Moon who went 1-for-2 with two RBIs. The Lady Bisons had seven hits in the game.
Katelyn Brown got the win for Southern Nazarene improving her record to 2-4. She had 13 strikeouts for the Crimson Storm. Danielle Hubbard got the loss for Harding only pitching 2-3 of an inning.
The two teams will wrap up their series on Saturday with a doubleheader that starts at 12 p.m.
