Harding (8-18, 3-9 GAC) vs. Northwestern Oklahoma (13-16, 8-10 GAC)
When: Sunday and Monday
Time: 2 p.m. DH, 1 p.m. DH
Coaches:
Harding – Phil Berry (40-44, 2nd season)
Northwestern Oklahoma – Ricki Rothbauer (13-17, 1st season)
Live Stats/Live Video – Available on a link at HardingSports.com
HARDING
- Harding will continue Great American Conference action at home on Sunday and Monday when they face Northwestern Oklahoma in a four-game series. Sunday's doubleheader will start at 2 p.m., and Monday's doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m. The games were originally scheduled to be played Friday and Saturday but were pushed back because of rain in Searcy.
- Before the doubleheader on Sunday, the Lady Bisons will have a moment of silence for Northwestern Oklahoma baseball player Britten Shuck, who was killed in an automobile accident last week.
- The Lady Bisons head into the series with an 8-18 overall record and a 3-9 GAC record. Harding is coming off a mid week GAC doubleheader at Arkansas Tech on Tuesday. The two teams split as the Lady Bisons won the first game 5-1 but fell in the second game 5-1. Kimmy Hendricks hit .714 in the two games with five hits and one RBI. Brookelynn Moon had three hits and three RBIs for Harding.
- Harding is 5-3 at home this season. It will be the first scheduled home conference series of the season for the Lady Bisons. Harding's series against Southeastern Oklahoma and Southern Arkansas was canceled due to weather and last week's series against Arkansas-Monticello was originally scheduled to be played in Moniticello, Arkansas but was moved to Searcy because of playing conditions.
- The Lady Bisons are led by sophomore Kimmy Hendricks who is hitting .423 to rank fourth in the GAC. Fellow sophomore Mackenzie Jones ranks ninth in the GAC with a .410 batting average. Jones is tied for eighth in the GAC with 34 hits and ranks tied for second in doubles with nine.
- Senior pitcher Amber Rollins leads Harding's pitching staff with a 2.64 ERA which is third in the GAC. She has made 13 starts this season and has thrown 10 complete games. She ranks fourth in the GAC in strike outs with 70.
- Hendricks ranks second in the GAC in on base percentage (.538) and tied for sixth in runs scored (25). She also has been walked 19 times this season which is the second most in the GAC.
- Harding ranks seventh in the GAC with a .302 team batting average. The Lady Bisons rank fifth in the GAC in hits (216) and RBIs (121). Harding also ranks second in doubles (44) and is tied for fourth in triples (4).
- Harding's pitching staff ranks fifth in the GAC with a 4.04 ERA. The Lady Bisons have given up 13 home runs this season which is the fewest in the GAC.
- Harding is tied for first in the GAC in stolen bases with 48. Sophomore Courtney Derrick and Kimmy Hendricks is tied for second in the GAC with 13.
NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
- Northwestern Oklahoma heads into the series with a 13-16 overall record and an 8-10 GAC record.
- The Rangers are 1-5 in their last six meetings. Their win came against Southwestern Oklahoma 8-2 on Tuesday in GAC action. Northwestern Oklahoma was swept by Henderson State last weekend. The Rangers won the Ouachita Baptist series 3-1 and the Southern Nazarene series 3-1. Northwestern Oklahoma fell in its first GAC series of the season to Southern Arkansas 3-1.
- The Rangers are led on the season by Jordan Haya who is hitting .385. She has six doubles, one triple and is tied for third in the GAC in homeruns with eight. Allora Miller is hitting .301 with three doubles and seven homeruns. Miller leads the team in RBIs with 22.
- Northwestern Oklahoma is 3-13 away from its home field this season. The Rangers have played 10 of their last 14 games at home.
- Northwestern Oklahoma is led in the circle by Allora Miller who has a 3.38 ERA and a 7-5 record in 16 appearances. Miller ranks second in the GAC in strike outs with 84. Shelby Anderson is the other starter for the Rangers. Anderson has a 4.20 ERA and a 6-7 record in 15 appearances.
SERIES
- Northwestern Oklahoma leads the series 3-1.
- When the two teams met in Alva, Oklahoma last season, the Rangers won the first three games (9-3, 11-3 and 6-4) before Harding won the last game 13-9.
- Last season against Northwestern Oklahoma, Harding was led by Amanda Berdon who hit .462 in 13 at bats. She had six hits, four runs scored, three homeruns and seven RBIs. She also had a 1.308 slugging percentage against the Rangers last season.
- Amber Rollins had a 5.11 ERA last season against Northwestern Oklahoma. She went 0-2 in two appearances, throwing one complete game and struck out nine Rangers season.
