SEARCY – Harding dropped a pair of one-run games Thursday in the first two games of a five-game series scheduled with St. Cloud State over the weekend. The Huskies defeated the Bisons 1-0 in the opener and 4-3 in game two.

The series was originally scheduled to continue Friday, but that game has been cancelled. The teams will resume the series Saturday with a noon doubleheader.

Harding dropped to 5-7 with the loss. St. Cloud State, playing its first games of the season, moved to 2-0.

The opener was scoreless until the top of the fifth inning. With the bases loaded and one out, St. Cloud State's Zach Hoffmann scored from third base on a wild pitch for the only run of the game.

Andrew Fiddler (0-2) started game one and pitched well in the loss. He allowed only six hits and three walks and struck out four in five innings. Hunter Payne pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

Reese Gregory, a preseason All-America selection, earned the shutout win. He gave up only three hits, two of them to Harding shortstop John Chapman, and struck out eight.

Neither team scored in game two until St. Cloud's Eric Loxtercamp hit a three-run home run in the top of the sixth to give the Huskies a 3-0 lead. The Bisons answered in the bottom of the sixth with Davis Richardson's second home run of the season, a three-run shot that tied the game.

St. Cloud State scored the game-winner in the eighth inning of the scheduled seven-inning game. Huskie shortstop Jackson Goplen reached on a two-base error, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a throwing error.

Andrew Ralston started and went 5 2-3 innings for the Bisons. He allowed three hits and three earned runs. Reliever Zac Stewart (2-1), who started the game in left field and had two hits, did not give up a hit in two innings but took the tough-luck loss.