Baseball Bisons Host Southeastern Oklahoma on Friday and Saturday

Harding Baseball (11-13, 5-7) vs. Southeastern Oklahoma (11-16, 6-6)
Mar. 18, 2016 – 3 p.m. – Jerry Moore Field
Mar. 19, 2016 – Noon – DH – Jerry Moore Field

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

THE COACHES
Dr. Patrick McGaha, Harding
   at Harding: 300-245 (11th season)
   Career: 419-337 (15th season)
   vs. Southeastern Okla.: 6-7
Mike Metheny, Southeastern Oklahoma (35th season)

THE SERIES
Series Record: Southeastern Oklahoma leads 16-8.

Harding was 1-3 against Southeastern Oklahoma last season. The Bisons won one of three games in the GAC series in Durant and fell 4-3 to the Savage Storm in the GAC Tournament to end the season.

From the record book: Harding had a school-record three balks in one game against Southeastern Oklahoma in 2012.

HARDING'S PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
Andrew Fiddler (SR, RHP) – 2-3, 2.94 ERA, 49 IP, 34 K
Andrew Ralston (SR, RHP) – 2-2, 3.54 ERA, 40 2/3 IP, 29 K
Hunter Payne (SR, RHP) – 4-3, 2.85 ERA, 41 IP, 30 K

WATCH TO WATCH FOR
Both Harding and Southeastern Oklahoma are looking to improve their chances of reaching the GAC Tournament and climbing into one of the top four spots that will host a first-round series in the tournament.

Harding is 5-7 in GAC games and tied for seventh among teams eligible for the GAC Tournament. Southeastern Oklahoma is 6-6 and tied for fifth.

Harding's offense has been much improved over the last five games. The Bisons were hitting .222 as a team after the Oklahoma Baptist series on Mar. 5. In the last five games, Harding has hit .325 and averaged 6.4 runs.

Four players have been driving the offense over the last five games. Davis Richardson is hitting .500 (10-for-20) with six RBIs. Grant Guest and Noah Chandler are both 11-for-24 (.458). Guest has scored nine of Harding's 32 runs during the stretch. Zac Stewart his hitting .407 with three doubles.

Southeastern won two of three GAC games last weekend at home against Ouachita. The Storm lost twice on Tuesday at Central Oklahoma.

KEY STATS
Harding is 10th in the GAC with a .248 team batting average, third with a 3.97 ERA and third with a .973 fielding percentage.

Southeastern is fifth with a .272 batting average, eighth with a 5.80 ERA and sixth with a .956 fielding percentage.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Harding's Zac Stewart leads the GAC with 38 hits, ranks second with nine doubles and is third with 57 total bases.

Hunter Payne is fifth in the GAC with a 2.85 ERA and with 41 innings pitched. Andrew Fiddler is 10th with a 2.94 ERA and leads the GAC with 49 innings pitched.

Southeastern junior right-hander Mike Wade ranks fourth in the GAC with a .200 opponents' batting average.

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Players Mentioned

#17 Noah Chandler: IF; 5' 11"; Redshirt Senior; R/R

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

#13 Grant Guest: IF; 6' 1"; Sophomore; R/R

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

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

#20 Davis Richardson: C; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior; S/R

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

Players Mentioned

#17 Noah Chandler
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Senior; R/R
: IF

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

#13 Grant Guest
: 6' 1"; Sophomore; R/R
: IF

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

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

#20 Davis Richardson
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior; S/R
: C

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