MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Nolan Fertig singled with one out in the top of the ninth to score Jack Thomas from second base and give Harding a 2-1 victory over Christian Brothers Tuesday at USA Stadium, the former training center for the United States Olympic baseball team.
The win was the sixth straight for Harding, who improved to 20-11 overall. The Bisons continue Great American Conference play Friday and Saturday against Northwestern Oklahoma in Alva. Christian Brothers suffered its fourth consecutive loss and fell to 8-22.
Thomas led off the ninth with a sharp grounder through the right side, and Zak Whitis followed that with his third hit of the game, sending Thomas to second. Christian Brothers pulled starter Jonathan Baldelli in favor of reliever Blake Dallas to pitch to Fertig, who laced the game-winner to left. CBU left fielder Keagan Voss charged hard but could not come up with the ball cleanly to attempt to throw out Thomas at home. The RBI was Fertig's 20th of the season.
Christian Brothers pinch hitter Bailey Jones opened the bottom of the ninth with a single against Harding closer Ryder Yakel. Jones advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Yakel then struck out Hunter Howard swinging for the second out and Voss looking for the final out to pick up his fourth save. Yakel has pitched 29 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run.
Harding junior Zach Bilek made his first start and pitched a predetermined 3.0 innings, allowing only three hits and one unearned run with four strikeouts. Dylan Adcock pitched two scoreless innings, working out of a two-on, one-out jam with two strikeouts in the fifth.
Nick Bowers (2-0) took over in the sixth and retired nine straight hitters to earn the win, turning it over to Yakel in the ninth.
Harding took a 1-0 lead in the first. Miles Humphreys reached on an infield single and moved to second on a ground out. Connor Kelly's line drive single to right scored Humphreys. It was Kelly's 18th RBI of the season and 10th in the Bisons's last seven games.
Christian Brothers tied the game in the third. Jared Cramer singled to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a ground out, to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error.
Whitis had his first career three-hit game, including his second triple of the season. Miles Humphreys had two hits, including a triple, and David Butterfield added two hits as well. Luke Van Dover did not have a hit, but walked to extend his on-base streak to 31 games.
