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Harding University Athletics

Nolan Fertig
Jeff Montgomery/Harding Universi
4
Union (TN) UU 13-32
5
Winner Harding HU 29-18
Union (TN) UU
13-32
4
Final
5
Harding HU
29-18
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Union (TN) UU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 4 11 1
Harding HU 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 5 7 1

W: Bowers, Nick (3-0) L: Brandon Maxwell (1-8)

Game Recap: Baseball | | by Scott Goode (4/23/19)

Fertig's Walkoff Single Wins HU Baseball Home Finale

SEARCY – In his last at-bat at Jerry Moore Field, senior Nolan Fertig, pinch-hitting in the bottom of the ninth, drove in two runs on a bases-loaded single through the right side to give Harding a 5-4 victory over Union Tuesday night in nonconference action.

Harding (29-18) trailed 4-3 entering the ninth inning. Union brought in junior right-hander Brandon Maxwell, who entered the game with Union's lowest ERA among pitchers with more than 10 innings (3.41).

Connor Kelly greeted Maxwell with a full-count, line-drive single to right. David Butterfield then walked, and pinch-hitter Ben Bailey bunted down the third base line. Maxwell fielded the ball but slipped on his throw to first, and Bailey beat the throw to load the bases.

After a fly out, Fertig came on to pinch hit for Jack Thomas and ripped a 2-0 pitch to right, setting off a celebration between first and second base.

The Bisons hope the celebration continues this weekend as they head to Russellville to take on Arkansas Tech in a Great American Conference series with GAC Tournament implications. Harding enters the weekend in a three-way tie for fourth place with the top six teams advancing to the tournament.

Harding led the game 3-0 through seven innings, and Union had 10 runners left on base at that point.

The Bulldogs (13-32) used four hits to score three times in the eighth with two runs coming on Jesse Kelley's home run to left. Union took its first lead on a Nolen Milton RBI single to left in the ninth.

Harding opened the scoring with a run on no hits in the second inning. Ben Brauss drove in a run in the fourth to make it 2-0, and Miles Humphreys hit his fourth home run of the season to lead off the sixth.

Harding used six pitchers, including senior Matt Sherry, who made his first career start and pitched three scoreless innings. Nick Bowers (3-0) was Harding's sixth pitcher and collected the win. Maxwell got the loss and dropped to 1-8.

Butterfield did not have a hit in the game but scored three of Harding's five runs. Kelly went 2-for-4 for his 16th multi-hit game of the season.
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