RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Harding baseball team enters its final Great American Conference series with a chance to win the regular season championship. The Bisons will meet Arkansas Tech in a three-game series beginning Saturday with a doubleheader that starts at 1 p.m. and concluding with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Harding is 17-7 in GAC games for a .708 winning percentage and has won 10 consecutive conference contests. The Bisons are just ahead of Ouachita Baptist (13-6, .684) and Southern Arkansas (17-10, .630). Arkansas Tech is fifth (13-10, .565).
Harding enters the series with six of its regulars hitting .300 or better, led by junior Harrison Hunter at .320 and junior Davis Richardson at .319. The Bisons are hitting .283 as a team and 6.1 runs per game.
Harding's pitching staff has a 3.85 ERA and is led by reigning GAC Pitcher of the Week Andrew Fiddler. The junior from Lexington, Tennessee, is 6-2 with a 2.51 ERA, good for second in the GAC. Harding will also likely start junior Collin Campbell (5-2, 2.81) and junior Jacob Stripling (6-3, 3.13) during the series.
Arkansas Tech is near the top of the GAC with a .310 team batting average and average 8.7 runs per game. The Wonder Boys are led by Patrick Castleberry (.393, 13 HR, 64 RBI), Bryan Heward (.353, 11 HR) and Cole Fergus (.339, 12 HR) who each have hit more than 10 home runs this season.
The Wonder Boys have a 5.63 ERA and are led by sophomore right-hander Trent Armstrong, who has a 5-1 record and a 3.70 ERA.
Harding Hitters vs. Arkansas Tech – Zach Beasley (.000, 0 for 5, 1 R, 1 RBI), Noah Chandler (.143, 2 for 14, 3 R, 2 RBI), John Chapman (.308, 4 for 13, 1 R, 1 2B), Alan Copeland (.333, 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 2B), Jesse Cox (.500, 1 for 2, 1 RBI), Grant Guest (.000, 0 for 2), Harrison Hunter (.200, 1 for 5, 1 R), Shane Kinner (.250, 2 for 8, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI), Jaxon Mohr (.000, 0 for 2), Kyler Offenbacker (.235, 4 for 17, 2 R), Davis Richardson (.111, 2 for 18, 1 2B, 1 RBI), Zac Stewart (.143, 2 for 14, 2 R, 1 2B), Chris Taylor (.000, 0 for 1), Evan Wilson (.333, 1 for 3, 1 RBI).
Harding Pitchers vs. Arkansas Tech – Matt Brashear (0-0, 1 G), Collin Campbell (0-1, 3.75, 3 G, 12 IP, 5 K), Andrew Fiddler (0-0, 2.92, 4 G, 12 1/3 IP, 13 K), Hayden Lowe (0-0, 1 G, 1/3 IP), Connor McVey (0-0, 1 G, 1 IP), Hunter Payne (0-0, 0.00, 2 G, 2 1/3 IP, 1 K), Andrew Ralston (1-0, 5.40 ERA, 5.0 IP, 1 K), Reed Roberts (0-0, 5.40, 1 G, 1 2/3 IP, 1 K), Josh Spears (0-0, 7.00, 5 G, 2 saves, 9 IP, 3 K), Zac Stewart (0-1, 4.50, 2 G, 1 save, 2 IP, 1 K), Jacob Stripling (0-1, 3.00, 2 G, 6 IP, 2 K), Jackson Ward (0-1, 1 G, 1 1/3 IP, 2 K).
