SEARCY – The Harding softball team swept Northwestern Oklahoma Sunday in a Great American Conference doubleheader. The Lady Bisons won 8-1 and 8-2.

Harding had 24 hits on the day with Peyton Mills going 5-for-7 and Lauren Bazan going 4-5. Amanda Fields also drove in five runs on the day.

Harding improves to 22-14 overall and 14-10 in the GAC.

Northwestern Oklahoma falls to 5-27 overall and 5-19 in the GAC.

Game One Key Innings (Harding 8, Northwestern Okla. 1)

-         Northwestern Oklahoma scored its only run in the first inning when Morgan La Neve hit a single down the right field line that scored Alexus Bailey from second.

-         Harding got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Amanda Fields hit a sacrifice fly that scored Kyndal Pirtle.

-         Harding blew the game open in the second, scoring four runs on five hits. Amanda Fields highlighted the inning with a two-run home run to left center. It was her seventh of the season. Hanna Jones and Peyton Mills also had a RBI in the inning.

-         The Lady Bisons scored three more runs on four hits in the sixth. Peyton Mills, Briley Feringa and Lauren Bazan each had a RBI in the inning.

Game One Key Statistics

-         Harding had 12 hits in the game led by Peyton Mills who went 3-for-3 with two RBI.

-         Amanda Fields drove in three runs in a game for the third time this season.

-         Northwestern Oklahoma had five hits led by Morgan La Neve who went 2-for-3.

-         Harding starter Jenna Hipp got the win for Harding to improve to 9-4. It was her fifth complete game of the season. She gave up one earned run and had a season-high seven strikeouts.

-         Karly Murray received the loss for Northwestern Oklahoma. The starter went 1 2/3 innings and gave up five earned runs.

Game Two Key Innings (Harding 8, Northwestern Okla. 2)

-         Morgan La Neve again gave Northwestern Oklahoma a 1-0 lead in the first after she hit a RBI double to right center.

-         The Rangers made it a 2-0 game in the third when Jada Overby singled in Abby Detar.

-         Harding tied the game in the third when Amanda Fields hit a two RBI single up the middle that scored Kyndal Pirtle and Lindsey Duncan.

-         The Lady Bisons added another run in the fourth when Lindsey Duncan hit a RBI triple to right field. It was her first triple of the season.

-         Harding took a 7-2 lead in the fifth scoring four runs on four hits. Peyton Mills doubled in a run and with the bases loaded Kiley Persons hit a bases clearing triple to center field.

-         Peyton Mills gave Harding an 8-2 lead in the sixth when she singled in Hanna Jones.

Game Two Key Statistics

-         Each team had 12 hits in the game.

-         Harding had four players with multiple hits in the game. Hanna Jones, Peyton Mills, Lauren Bazan and Kiley Persons each had two hits.

-         It was the second time this season and the sixth time in school history, Harding has had two triples in a game. The Lady Bisons had two triples at East Central earlier this season.

-         Pyper James received the win pitching 1 1/3 innings of relief. She improves to 5-5 on the season. She had one strikeout and gave up one hit.

-         Emma Dwyer picked up her ninth save of the season pitching three innings of relief. She gave up five hits and had two strikeouts.

-         Amanda Berry made her first start of the season for Harding after dealing with an injury. She had two strikeouts.

-         Allison Wells received the loss for Harding and falls to 3-9 on the season. She went four innings, gave up five earned runs and had one strikeout.

Next Up

-          The two teams will wrap up their series Monday with a doubleheader starting at noon.