Harding Baseball Opens GAC Schedule, Hosts Henderson State

Harding Baseball (4-5, 0-0) vs. Henderson St. (3-7, 0-0)
Feb. 19, 2016 – 2 p.m. – Jerry Moore Field
Feb. 20, 2016 – DH -- Noon – Jerry Moore Field

HOW TO FOLLOW
Internet:
   Streaming: www.HardingSports.com
    Live Stats: www.HardingSports.com

THE COACHES
Dr. Patrick McGaha, Harding
   at Harding: 293-237 (11th season)
   Career: 412-329 (15th season)
   vs. Henderson St.: 14-21
Cody Hooten, Henderson St.
   at HSU: 119-139-1 (6th season)
   Career: same

THE SERIES
Series Record: Henderson St. leads 88-66-1 … Henderson St. won the series last season 2-games-to-1

HARDING'S PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
Andrew Fiddler (SR, RHP) – 1-1, 2.95 ERA, 18.1 IP, 8 K
Hunter Payne (SR, RHP) – 2-1, 1.50 ERA, 18.0 IP, 18 K
Andrew Ralston (SR, RHP) – 1-1, 2.00 ERA, 18.0 IP, 13 K

WATCH TO WATCH FOR
Harding opens the 2016 Great American Conference season with a three-game home series against Henderson St., a team that was among the final four teams last season at the NCAA Division II College World Series. After starting the season 1-5, Harding swept a three-game series last weekend against Oklahoma Panhandle. The Bisons outscored the Aggies 25-1 in the series.

Henderson State is off to a 3-7 start and lost twice last weekend against Arkansas-Fort Smith. The series with Harding will be the team's first true road games this season. The Reddies have struggled offensively with a .221 team batting average.

KEY STATS
Harding's starting pitchers have accounted for 77.3 percent of the team's innings pitched (54 1/3 of the 70 1/3 innings pitched).

Harding and Henderson State are two of the top defensive teams in the GAC. The Bisons lead the GAC with a .984 fielding percentage, and Henderson State is third at .976.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Harding senior Hunter Payne enters his fourth start of the season with a 2-1 record and 1.50 ERA. Through 18.0 innings, Payne has a team-high 18 strikeouts and only two walks. He struck out a career-high 10 batters in his last start against Oklahoma Panhandle.

Henderson State's Jordan Taylor is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound infielder from Bryant, Arkansas. Last season, he earned second-team Daktronics and NCBWA All-Region. He is hitting .313 with a home run and a team-leading 10 RBIs through the first nine games. Taylor also has one of Henderson's victories on the mound but has allowed seven earned runs in 2 1/3 innings.

FACTS AND FIGURES
Senior Zac Stewart leads Harding with a .394 batting average. He also leads the team in hits (13), doubles (4), slugging percentage (.576) and on-base percentage (.444). Stewart has a team-best five-game hitting streak.

Harding enters the series ranked fourth in the GAC in ERA (3.97) and opposing batting average (.248).

Harding is averaging 5.2 runs per nine innings, and Henderson State is averaging 4.3.

Henderson State ranks 10th in batting average, sixth in ERA and third in fielding percentage.

UP NEXT
Harding plays its first midweek game of the season Tuesday against Union (TN). The teams will play a single game beginning at 2 p.m. at Jerry Moore Field.

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Players Mentioned

#12 Andrew Fiddler: P; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior; R/R

#30 Hunter Payne: P; 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior; R/R

#32 Andrew Ralston: P; 6' 3"; Senior; R/R

#23 Zac Stewart: OF/P; 5' 11"; Redshirt Senior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#12 Andrew Fiddler
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior; R/R
: P

#30 Hunter Payne
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior; R/R
: P

#32 Andrew Ralston
: 6' 3"; Senior; R/R
: P

#23 Zac Stewart
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Senior; R/R
: OF/P