SEARCY – The 2nd-ranked Harding softball team completed the series sweep of Northwestern Oklahoma on Saturday after winning the Great American Conference doubleheader 4-2 and 8-0 in six innings.
After the doubleheader, Harding recognized seniors Alexus Lawellin, Hannah Johnson, Amanda Berdon, Mackenzie Jones, Brookelynn Moon, Courtney Derrick and Kimmy Hendricks-Campbell for their contributions to the Harding softball program.
The Lady Bisons improve to 50-6 overall and 40-4 in the GAC. Harding is only the second team in GAC history to reach 50 wins in a season. Southern Arkansas had 53 last season. Northwestern Oklahoma falls to 18-38 overall and 16-28 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 Ouachita and will play at 1 p.m., on Thursday May 4th at the Tiger Athletic Complex.
Game One Key Innings (#2 Harding 4, Northwestern Oklahoma 2)
- Harding scored one run on one hit in the second inning when Mackenzie Jones had a RBI ground out that scored Autumn Humes.
- The Lady Bisons made it a 2-0 game in the third on three hits when Courtney Derrick singled in Brookelynn Moon from second.
- Harding scored another run in the third when Autumn Humes singled to the shortstop that scored Courtney Derrick. The Lady Bisons had three hits in the inning.
- Northwestern Oklahoma battled back to score two runs in the fifth on two hits and Harding error. Brittany Corrales and Madi Parrott both had RBIs in the inning.
- Harding got an insurance run in the fifth when Amanda Berdon hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Autumn Humes.
Game One Key Statistics
- Harding had eight hits in the game led by Autumn Humes who went 3-for-3.
- Northwestern Oklahoma had four hits, all by different players.
- Hannah Johnson received the win for Harding to improve to 22-4 on the season. She pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up no earned runs, walked two and struck out one. Autumn Humes picked up her fifth save of the season in 1 2/3 innings of work. She walked one and struck out two.
- Madison Garza received the loss for Northwestern Oklahoma. She pitched five innings, gave up eight hits, four earned runs, walked two and struck out two.
Game Two Key Innings (#2 Harding 8, Northwestern Okla. 0)
- After three scoreless innings, Harding scored three runs on four hits and two Northwestern Oklahoma errors in the fourth inning. Autumn Humes and Amanda Berdon each singled in a run and Kimmy Hendricks-Campbell scored on the throw when Berdon stole second.
- The Lady Bisons scored two more runs on three hits in the fifth to make it a 5-2 game. Alexus Lawellin singled in Courtney Derrick for the first run and Autumn Humes doubled to right center that scored Peyton Mills.
- Harding made it 8-0 in the sixth inning. With runners at first and second Courtney Derrick hit a bases clearing triple to left center that scored Brookelynn Moon and Morgan Acosta. Alexus Lawellin then singled in Courtney Derrick to put the run rule into effect.
Game Two Key Statistics
- For the 23rd time this season Harding had over 10 hits in the game. The Lady Bisons finished with 11 hits led by Peyton Mills who went 3-for-3.
- Northwestern Oklahoma had five hits with Macy Madewell going 2-for-2.
- Autumn Humes picked up the win for Harding to improve to 27-1 on the season. She continues to add to her GAC record in shutouts with her picking up her 13th on Saturday. Humes threw the complete game, walked three and struck out four.
- Karly Murray who started the game for Northwestern Oklahoma received the loss and falls to 8-19 overall. She pitched five innings, gave up eight hits, three earned runs and struck out three.
Up Next
- Harding will take part in the Great American Conference Tournament in Bentonville, Arkansas May 4-6.
