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Harding University Athletics

Nolan Fertig
7
Winner Southern Ark. SAU 26-13, 18-9 GAC
1
Harding HU 22-20, 13-14 GAC
Winner
Southern Ark. SAU
26-13, 18-9 GAC
7
Final
1
Harding HU
22-20, 13-14 GAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Southern Ark. SAU 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 1 1 7 10 1
Harding HU 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0

W: Jacob Stroder (7-2) L: Smith, Tanner (5-5)

Game Recap: Baseball | | by Scott Goode (4/16/18)

Harding Baseball Falls Short in Sweep Attempt Against Southern Arkansas

SEARCY – Harding baseball did not have too much trouble getting runners on base Monday in its attempt to sweep its Great American Conference series against Southern Arkansas, but it did have trouble once the runners were there.

Southern Arkansas (26-13, 18-9) used a four-run sixth inning to pull away and win 7-1, and Harding (22-20, 13-14) was hitless in 15 at-bats with runners on base.

Harding won both games Sunday, defeating Southern Arkansas 6-5 and 4-2. The Bisons were seeking to win three straight over the Muleriders since 1975, when the school was known as Southern State.

With the loss, Harding fell into a seventh-place tie in the GAC standings and is three games behind Southwestern Oklahoma for the final GAC Tournament spot. Both teams have six conference games remaining. Harding plays at GAC leader Arkansas-Monticello this weekend and hosts Arkansas Tech in the final weekend of the season. Southwestern Oklahoma is at Ouachita Baptist and hosts Northwestern Oklahoma to finish the season.

Harding took a 1-0 lead in the third on Nolan Fertig's RBI groundout that scored Brendan Perrett, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.

Southern Arkansas tied it in the fifth on a Dakota Wright solo home run and took the lead for good in the sixth. Sam Mrstik and Cole Boyd both had two-run singles, and the Muleriders led 5-1.

Southern Arkansas added single runs in the eighth and ninth.

Tanner Smith (5-5) took the loss for the Bisons. He allowed five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts, one off his season high. Brian Tims pitched the final 3 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on three hits.

Southern Arkansas starter Jacob Stroder (7-2) pitched his first complete game of the season. He yielded five hits and one run with six strikeouts.

Harding is right back at it Tuesday at 6 p.m. in a nonconference game against Central Baptist at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Tickets are $10 and are available in the Ganus Activities Complex or at the game.
 
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