SEARCY – The Harding softball team scored 31 runs on Friday in a double-header sweep of Ouachita in Great American Conference action. Lady Bisons won the first game 15-12 and then won the second game 16-2.
 
Harding improves to 11-5 overall and 4-2 in the GAC. Ouachita falls to 6-8 overall and 0-6 in the GAC.
 
Game One Key Innings (Harding 15, Ouachita 12)

-         Harding took a 1-0 lead after the first inning until Ouachita tied the game with a run in the third inning. The Lady Bisons answered back scoring two in the bottom of the third to lead 3-1.

-         Ouachita tied the game again in the fourth inning scoring two runs.

-         The Tigers took an 11-3 lead in the top of the fifth inning scoring eight runs on seven hits and one error. Ouachita was led in the inning by Alex Jennings who hit a grand slam and a three-run homer by Macy Nantz.

-         Harding answered back in the bottom of the fifth with nine runs on nine hits and one error. Six different Lady Bisons had a RBI in the inning led by Amanda Berdon who doubled in two runs and Mackenzie Jones who singled in three runs.

-         Harding held Ouachita scoreless in the top of the sixth and then tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the inning when Peyton Mills hit a three-run homer to left field. It was her first collegiate home run.

-         Ouachita scored a run in the seventh and with two outs and with runs at first and second, Harding got a strikeout to get the victory.

 
Game One Key Statistics

-         Kinsey Beck led Harding with four hits, two RBIs and two runs scored. Courtney Derrick and Morgan Acosta each had three hits and an RBI.

-         Ouachita had 16 hits in the game led by Daniella Brantley who went 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

-         Kelly Beth Ernest got the win for Harding, improving her record to 4-1 on the season. Ashley Smith started the game for the Lady Bisons and then came back on in relief to get her second save of the season.

-         Macy Nantz got the loss for Ouachita falling to 4-2 on the season. She started the game for the Tigers, pitching 4 2/3 innings.

 
Game Two Key Innings (Harding 16, Ouachita 2)

-         Harding got things started in the first inning scoring a run on one hit.

-         The Lady Bisons took a 13-1 lead in the second inning, scoring 12 runs on 12 hits, led by Mackenzie Jones who knocked Harding's fifth grand slam of the season. Morgan Acosta and Alexus Lawellin each had two RBIs.

-         The Lady Bisons tacked on three more runs in the fourth inning on four hits. Mackenzie Jones knocked in two more runs to set a new school record for the most RBIs in a game with six.

-         Ouachita got on the board in the bottom of the fifth scoring two runs on three hits.

 
Game Two Key Statistics

-         Harding set a new school record for the most hits in a game with 19. Courtney Derrick went 4-for-4 and five other Lady Bisons had two hits in the game.

-         Freshman Hannah Johnson got the win for Harding to improve her record to 4-1 on the season. She threw her second complete game of the season, giving up six hits and two earned runs. She also struck out three.

-         Marissa Butler started the game for Ouachita and got the loss pitching 1 2/3 innings. She falls to 0-3 on the season.

Up Next

-         Harding and Ouachita will wrap up its series on Saturday in a doubleheader that starts at 12 p.m.