SEARCY  – The 2nd-ranked Harding softball team swept Arkansas-Monticello on Sunday in a Great American Conference doubleheader. The Lady Bisons won 7-5 and 3-0. With the wins on Sunday Harding won the GAC Regular Season Championship with six games remaining in the regular season.

The Lady Bisons improved to 45-5 overall and 35-3 in the GAC. Arkansas-Monticello falls to 31-17 overall and 24-12 in the GAC.

Harding will be the No. 1 seed in the GAC Tournament held May 4-6 in Bentonville, Ark. The Lady Bisons will open the tournament against the No. 8 seed (to be determined) and will play at 1 p.m., on Thursday May 4th at the Tiger Athletic Complex.

 
Game One Key Innings (#2 Harding 7, Arkansas-Monticello 5)

-         Arkansas-Monticello got on the board in the first inning scoring two runs on three hits and a Harding error. McKenzie Rice scored the first run off the error and Kaylee Freeman singled up the middle to score Maranda Clendenin from second for the second run.

-         The Blossoms took a 5-0 lead in the second, scoring three runs on five hits and a Harding error. First two runs came on a Harding error and the third run came on a wild pitch.

-         Harding rallied for five runs on six hits and an error in the fifth inning. Peyton Mills drove in the first two runs when she singled up the middle and Kimmy Hendricks-Campbell drove Mills in for the third run. Amanda Berdon tied the game when she hit a double down the left field line to score Hendricks-Campbell and Autumn Humes.

-         The Lady Bisons took their first lead in the seventh scoring two runs off four hits. Kimmy Hendricks-Campbell drove in the first run and Amanda Berdon hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score the second run.

Game One Key Statistics

-         Harding had 13 hits in the game led by Kimmy Hendricks-Campbell and Autumn Humes who each had three.

-         Arkansas-Monticello had 12 hits with four players having two.

-         Autumn Humes received the win for Harding and improves to 23-1 on the season. Humes pitched two innings, gave up one hit and struck out one. Amanda Berry came in and pitched 3 1/3 innings. She gave up three hits, struck out two and did not allow a run. Hannah Johnson started the game for Harding and went 1 2/3 innings.

-         Kendra Coleman received the loss for Arkansas-Monticello and falls to 18-6 on the season. She gave up 13 hits, six earned runs, walked one and struck out eight.

 
Game Two Key Innings (#2 Harding 3, Arkansas-Monticello 0)

-         After five scoreless innings, Harding made it a 3-0 game in the sixth inning on two hits and a Arkansas-Monticello error. Kimmy Hendricks-Campbell scored the first run when Brookelynn Moon reached on an error. Courtney Derrick hit a double down the right field line to score Madi Trump and Moon.

 
Game Two Key Statistics

-         It was Harding's 20th shutout of the season.

-         Harding had 11 hits in the game with Derrick, Alexus Lawellin and Peyton Mills all going 2-for-4 at the plate.

-         Arkansas-Monticello was held to two hits both by different players.

-         Autumn Humes threw the complete game shutout for Harding. It was her 20th complete game and her 10th shutout. She improves to 24-1 on the season. Humes gave up two hits, struck out five and did not allow a walk.

-         Kaylee Freeman who started the game for the Blossoms received the loss. She falls to 8-8 on the season.

Up Next

-         The two teams will wrap up their four-game series on Monday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.