SEARCY – The 19th-ranked Harding softball team swept both games of the Great American Conference doubleheader Sunday against East Central. The Lady Bisons won 6-4 and 7-2.
Harding improves to 27-11 overall and 10-18 in the GAC.
East Central falls to 15-23 overall and 19-9 in the GAC.
After the wins and two Southeastern Oklahoma losses, Harding is in third place in the GAC standings.
Game One Key Innings (Harding 6, East Central 4)
- East Central scored a run in the fourth inning when Claresha Clemons hit a solo home run to right field.
- The Tigers added two more runs in the fifth off three hits and a Harding error.
- Harding then scored six runs off five hits in the sixth inning to take a 6-3 lead. Peyton Mills, Amanda Fields, Katie Carney and Mason McCord all had an RBI and Lindsey Duncan had two RBI.
- East Central got a run in the seventh but a strikeout gave Harding the win.
Game One Key Statistics
- East Central had 10 hits by nine different players.
- Harding had six hits with Amanda Fields going 2-for-3.
- Emily Garrett received the win in 1 2/3 innings of relief. She gave up one earned run and had a strikeout. Amanda Berry came in and got the last out for her fourth save of the season. Emma Dwyer started the game for Harding and went five innings.
- Demi Danell received the loss and falls to 3-5 on the season for East Central.
Game Two Key Innings (Harding 7, East Central 2)
- Harding scored seven runs off five hits in the top of the first to lead 7-0. Seven different players had a RBI in the inning.
- East Central got a run back in the fifth off three hits. Claresha Clemons picked up the RBI in the inning.
- The Tigers scored its other run in the seventh when Jacey Henry reached on a Harding error, Bryant scored on the play and Chloe Wigington was thrown out at home for the final out of the game.
Game Two Key Statistics
- East Central had 11 hits and left eight runners on base.
- Harding had five hits with Peyton Mills going 2-for-4.
- Amanda Berry received the win for the Lady Bisons and improves to 9-5. She threw five innings, gave up one earned run and had a strikeout. Emily Garrett pitched two innings of relief and didn't give up an earned run.
- Caitlin Kneblik received the loss for East Central and falls to 4-2.
Up Next
- The two teams will wrap up their series Monday with a doubleheader starting at noon.