Harding (26-20, 18-16 GAC) at No. 5 Arkansas Tech (38-5, 28-4 GAC)
Russellville, Ark. • April 12 – 3 p.m. (Doubleheader)

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

THE COACHES
Phil Berry, Harding
    at Harding: 81-78 (3rd season)
    Career: same
    vs. ATU: 6-5
Kristina McSweeney, Arkansas Tech
    at ATU: 134-77 (4th season)
    Career: same

THE SERIES
Series Record: HU leads 6-5
in Russellville: Tied 2-2
First Meeting: HU 4-3 (3/25/14)
Last Meeting: ATU 8-6 (3/29/16)
Current Streak: ATU 3 games

The Harding softball team will play the second leg of a four-game series on Tuesday when it travels to Russellville, Arkansas to face No. 5 Arkansas Tech in a Great American Conference doubleheader. The Golden Suns won the first two games in Searcy 4-3 and 8-6 on March 29th.

Harding is 14-10 in true road games this season and is 19-13 away from the Harding Softball Field.

Harding Team Notes:
Harding is coming off a GAC series at home against Arkansas-Monticello this past weekend. The Blossoms won the series 3-1. The Lady Bisons won the first game 6-5 on a walk-off home run by Peyton Mills. Harding dropped the last three 8-6, 8-0 and 7-5. Kinsey Beck led the Lady Bisons, hitting .462 with three doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Peyton Mills hit .417 with two doubles, two home runs, three RBIs and five runs scored.

Harding is currently tied with East Central for fifth place in the GAC standings. The top eight teams in the standings advance to the conference tournament held April 28-30 in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Harding is hitting .316 to rank third in the GAC. Alexus Lawellin leads the Lady Bisons hitting .363 in 135 at bats and junior Courtney Derrick, Harding's leadoff hitter, is hitting .358.

The Lady Bisons rank first in the GAC in hits with 397. Harding has four players in the top 10 in the conference in hits. Courtney Derrick ranks third with 58, Kinsey Beck ranks fifth with 54 and Peyton Mills and Alexus Lawellin are tied for ninth with 49.

Kimmy Hendricks is tied for first in the GAC and ranks 19th in NCAA Division II in RBIs with 47. Hendricks is hitting .272 on the season and leads the Lady Bisons with seven home runs, three have been grand slams.

Freshman Peyton Mills ranks tied for third in the GAC in runs scored with 40. She is also first on the team with a .471 on base percentage. In Harding's brief history, the Lady Bisons have only hit two walk-off home runs and both have been by Mills this season. She hit both at home as the first one was against East Central and the second one was against Arkansas-Monticello.

Harding ranks first in the GAC and 13th in NCAA Division II in stolen bases with 104 (2.40 per game). The Lady Bisons have 37 more stolen bases than second place in the GAC (Southeastern Okla. 67). The Lady Bisons have five players ranked in the top 10 in the GAC. Courtney Derrick ranks second with 22, Peyton Mills ranks third with 21, Kinsey Beck and Alexus Lawellin ranks tied for sixth with 15 and Kimmy Hendricks ranks ninth with 14.

Harding ranks first in the GAC in runs scored (260), hits (397), RBIs (234), doubles (67), stolen bases (104) and saves (10). The Lady Bisons rank second in the GAC slugging percentage (.465) and on base percentage (.390). Harding ranks third in the GAC in batting average (.316)

Harding ranks eighth in the GAC with a 4.16 team ERA. Junior Hannah Johnson leads the Lady Bisons with a 2.84 ERA and a 13-7 record. She has also thrown 11 complete games.

Freshman pitcher Kelly Beth Ernest leads all of NCAA Division II with eight saves.

Harding has hit 34 home runs this season to rank fourth in the GAC. Of the Lady Bisons 34 home runs, five have been grand slams and Harding has had a least two runners on during 12 of the home runs.

Harding ranks sixth in the GAC with a .955 fielding percentage. The Lady Bisons have turned 24 double plays this season to rank first in the GAC.

Harding is 0-5 against ranked opponents.

Opponent Notes:
Arkansas Tech heads into the series with a 38-5 overall record and a 28-4 conference record. The Golden Suns are in first place in the GAC standings. Arkansas Tech is coming off a four-game series split at home against Southern Arkansas. The Golden Suns won the first game both days (2-0 and 1-0) but dropped the second game each days (7-5 and 3-1).

It will be the fifth and sixth straight games Arkansas Tech has played at home. The Golden Suns are 10-4 at home this season.

Arkansas Tech is led at the plate by Alex Edinger who is hitting .404 to rank fourth in the GAC. Jalissa Gum ranks seventh in the conference hitting .392.

The Golden Suns rank second in the GAC with a 1.79 team ERA. Gum leads the conference and ranks 10th in NCAA Division II with a 0.77 ERA. She also leads the conference in opposing batting average, as batters are hitting .135.

Arkansas Tech Ranking in the GAC:

Batting Average: .318 – 2nd
Hits: 382 – 3rd
Home Runs: 30 – t-6th
Wins: 38 – 1st
ERA: 1.79 – 2nd
Strikeouts: 301 – 2nd

Arkansas Tech Players Ranking in the GAC:

Batting Average: Alex Edinger - .404 – 4th

Slugging Pct: Jalissa Gum - .715 – 3rd
On Base Pct: Jalissa Gum - .484 – 5th

Hits: Alex Edinger – 63 – t-1st

RBIs: Destiny Crumpley – 40 – t-4th

Doubles: Jalissa Gum – 15 – t-1st