RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Tech won both games of a doubleheader over Harding in the final Great American Conference series of the season. The Wonder Boys won 5-2 and 4-2 with the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m.
Harding (26-22, 17-9) entered the weekend with the GAC lead, and despite the losses still remain in the hunt for the regular season title along with Ouachita Baptist and Southern Arkansas.
Harding, who had a 10-game conference winning streak going into the series, took a 1-0 lead in the second inning of the first game. Jaxon Mohr singled with one out and scored on Shane Kinnear's bunt single.
The Bisons held the lead until the Tech scored four runs on five hits in the sixth. Cole Fergus' three-run home run was the big blow of the inning.
Harding closed the lead to 4-2 in the top of the seventh on Kinnear's leadoff home run, his second homer of the season. But Arkansas Tech answered with another run in the bottom of the inning.
Kinnear was 3 for 4 with a run and two RBIs to lead the Harding offense. Zac Stewart and Zach Beasley had two hits each.
Andrew Fiddler (6-3) suffered his first loss since Feb. 26, allowing four earned runs on seven hits over six innings. He had three strikeouts and no walks. Reed Roberts pitched the final two innings for the Bisons and gave up one run on three hits.
Trent Armstrong (6-1) was the winning pitcher for Arkansas Tech. He pitched a complete game and gave up two earned runs on 10 hits.
Harding left seven runners on and went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
With game two tied at 1-1, Tech scored three runs in the fourth to pull ahead for good. Kris Ayers led off the inning with a home run, and Keenan Jumper had a two-run single.
Harding's runs came on a Mohr sacrifice fly in the first and on a run-scoring single from Kyler Offenbacker in the sixth. Offenbacker's single was the Bisons' lone hit in six at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Harding had six hits in the game, with Kinnear and Harrison Hunter collecting two each.
Collin Campbell (5-2) took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) over five innings. Josh Spears pitched a scoreless sixth.
Rafiel Johnson (2-0) was the winner, going five innings and allowing only one earned run. Ryan Vruggink pitched the seventh for his third save.
