SEARCY – Two teams preparing for the stretch run in the Great American Conference met Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader at Jerry Moore Field. Harding, in a virtual tie for the sixth and final tournament spot, won the opener against Ouachita Baptist, the GAC's leader, 7-4. Ouachita won the second game 8-6.
Harding (17-17) plays the first of four remaining GAC series Friday and Saturday at home against Arkansas-Monticello.
Juniors Alan Copeland and Davis Richardson both hit solo home runs for Harding in the opener. Copeland's fourth home run of the season ignited a four-run second inning that also included freshman Chris Taylor's two-run triple. Richardson, who went 2-for-3 for his fifth straight multi-hit game, led off the third with his team-leading fifth home run.
Copeland was 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI, and Zac Stewart was 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Stewart extended his team-best hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the first. The streak ended there when Stewart hit into a fielder's choice in a pinch-hitting appearance in game two.
Freshman Reed Roberts (1-0) collected his first collegiate win, pitching 4 1-3 innings and allowing four earned runs.
Jace Melby went 3-for-4 with a run and three RBIs to lead the Tigers. Ouachita starter Jacob May (0-1) left after giving up Richardson's home run in the third and took the loss, allowing five earned runs in two-plus innings.
Ouachita (17-10) took the lead for good with a two-run second inning that gave the Tigers a 4-3 lead in game two. Ouachita added three more in the fourth, but Harding answered with one in the fourth and two in the sixth to cut the lead to 7-6. The Tigers added another run in the seventh and Lance Cullum pitched around a walk in the bottom of the seventh for his fourth save.
Senior Shane Kinnear notched his first career three-hit game for the Bisons, going 3-for-3 with a run and a career-high three RBIs. He drove in a run with a single in Harding's three-run first inning, singled and scored on Kyler Offenbacker's double in the fourth, and drove in two with a double of his own in the sixth.
Ouachita reliever Matt Sinclair (1-0) pitched one scoreless inning of relief for the win. Harding starter Andrew Ralston (2-2) gave up four earned runs in three innings.
Harding junior Harrison Hunter had a single in the first game and two hits in game two to extend his school-record on-base streak to 32 games.
