BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Freshman Alexus Lawellin hit a double down left field line in the bottom of the 10th inning that scored Amanda Berdon from second to give the Harding softball team a 1-0 victory over No. 1 seed and No. 8 in NCAA Division II Arkansas Tech late Thursday night in the second round of the Great American Conference Tournament. The Lady Bisons will have a quick turnaround and will face No. 2 seed and No. 18 in Division II Southern Arkansas on Friday at 11 a.m.
The teams were schedule to start at 8 p.m., but due to other games going long the game didn't start until 11:45 p.m. Ten innings later, Lawellin had the game winning hit at 2:13 a.m. Central Time.
No. 4 seed Harding improves to 36-22 overall and Arkansas Tech falls to 45-8.
Key Innings
- Harding had a base runner on in each of its first eight innings but couldn't get a run across.
- Arkansas Tech had the bases loaded in the top of the eighth with one out but hit into a double play to end the inning.
- Amanda Berdon had a leadoff walk for the Lady Bisons to lead off the 10th inning. Arkansas Tech got the next two batters out and with a 2-2 count Lawellin had the game winning hit.
Key Statistics
- Harding had seven hits in the game with Lawellin, Kimmy Hendricks and Kinsey Beck each having two.
- It was Alexus Lawellin's 34th RBI of the season.
- Hannah Johnson, Harding's starter, went the distance to pick up her 20th win of the season (20-8). She threw her 18th complete game of the season, gave up four hits and struck out a season-high seven batters in 37 batters faced. She also threw 134 pitches.
- Jalissa Gum, the GAC Pitcher of the Year, got the loss for Arkansas Tech. She threw 9 2/3 innings, walked five and struck out 14. She faced 38 batters and threw 169 pitches.
