SEARCY – The 3rd-ranked Harding softball team swept No. 7 Southern Arkansas on Friday in Great American Conference action. The Lady Bisons won 4-0 and 2-1.
It was the first time in GAC softball history two top-10 teams are playing each other.
The Lady Bisons improve their record to 40-4 overall and 30-2 in the GAC. Southern Arkansas falls to 35-9 overall and 25-7 in the GAC.
With today's wins, Harding took a five game lead in the GAC standings over the Lady Muleriders who are in second place.
Game One Key Innings (#3 Harding 4, #7 Southern Arkansas 0)
- After four shutout innings, Harding scored four runs on three hits and two Southern Arkansas errors in the fifth inning. With a 2-1 count and a runner at third Lindsey Duncan laid down a perfect suicide squeeze to score the Lady Bisons first run. With runners at second and third and two outs, Peyton Mills hit a three-run home run to right field to give Harding a 4-0 lead. It was her sixth home run of the season.
Game One Key Statistics
- Harding had five hits in the game with Courtney Derrick and Mills going 2-for-3.
- Southern Arkansas had three hits by its five, six and seven hitters.
- Hannah Johnson picked up the win and improved to 19-2 on the season. She threw her 13th complete game and her ninth shutout. She gave up three hits, walked three and struck out two.
- Kaylee Garner received her first loss of the season and falls to 16-1 for the Lady Muleriders. She gave up five hits, one earned run and struck out five.
- It was the first time this season Southern Arkansas has been shutout.
Game Two Key Innings (#3 Harding 2, Southern Arkansas 1)
- Harding scored its first run in the fifth when Peyton Mills hit a double down the left field line to score Alexus Lawellin from first.
- Southern Arkansas tied the game in the fourth when Tyler Casada hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Chloe Hicks.
- The Lady Bisons scored the go-ahead run in the sixth on two hits. With two outs, Katie Carney hit a pitch-hit single down the right field line to score Kimmy Slaughter from third.
Game Two Key Statistics
- Harding had six hits in the game with Courtney Derrick going 2-for-3.
- Southern Arkansas had seven hits lead by Marina Duran who went 2-for-3.
- Autumn Humes threw the complete game to pick up her 20th win of the season. She is now 20-1 and tied Hannah Johnson for the most wins in a season by a pitcher. Humes threw her 18th complete game, gave up seven hits, one earned run and tied a season-high with 12 strikeouts.
- Victoria Taylor received the loss for Southern Arkansas. She pitched 5 2/3 innings, gave up six hits, two earned runs and struck out nine.
Up Next
- The two teams will wrap up their series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon.
