CONROE, Texas – The Harding softball team got a pair of wins Friday as it opened its 2022 campaign at the Arkansas Tech Invitational in Conroe, Texas. The Lady Bisons defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville 5-4 and Texas A&M International 14-6 in six innings.
Harding head coach Ashley Reeves picked up first wins at the helm of the Lady Bisons. Reeves took over for Phil Berry who retired after the 2021 season.
Harding is 7-1 in season openers since it restarted the program in 2014.
Harding vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville
Five Harding players collected multiple hits to help lead the Lady Bisons past the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas 5-4 Friday.
Junior Lily Tanski (1-0) got the win for Harding (1-0). The right-hander went seven innings, giving up four runs, three earned, on six hits, allowing two walks and striking out six.
Sophomore Ashton Bryce led the hit barrage for the Bisons, going 2-for-4 in the ballgame with an RBI. Sophomore Chelsea Blankenship put together a standout performance at the plate as well, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lady Bisons put runs on the scoreboard first, starting the scoring in the second inning. Harding got an RBI single from Bryce, scoring junior Madison Fraley from third base.
After the Javelinas rallied to tie the ballgame at one, the Lady Bisons came back to retake the lead in the third inning. Harding pushed across a run on Blankenship's one-out RBI double, which brought the Lady Bisons lead to 2-1.
Harding's lead had evaporated once the fifth inning arrived and turned into a 3-2 Texas A&M-Kingsville advantage, when the Lady Bisons re-gained control at 4-3. The Lady Bisons recorded two runs when a single from sophomore Jordan Cabana scored junior Faith Waugh and freshman Macy Smith.
Harding kept the Javelinas scoreless before their offense got things rolling the next inning. Bryce crossed home plate with the lone run of the inning for the Lady Bisons, bringing the score to 5-3 in favor of Harding. Texas A&M-Kingsville put one run on the scoreboard before the game was over, but the Lady Bisons still held on for the 5-4 win.
GAME NOTES
» Tanski struck out six Javelinas hitters.
» Harding's highest scoring inning was the fifth, when it pushed two runs across.
» Five Lady Bisons had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Lady Bisons out-hit the Javelinas at a 12-6 clip.
» Both senior Hanna Jones and junior Hannah Garrett stole two bases in Friday's game.
» The Lady Bisons swiped seven bases as a team.
» Harding pitchers faced 27 Texas A&M-Kingsville hitters in the game, allowing three ground balls and 10 fly balls while striking out six.
» Blankenship led the Bisons at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
» Texas A&M-Kingsville was led offensively by sophomore Natalie Rodriguez, who went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs.
» Sophomore Beth Montes led the Javelinas pitching staff, throwing 2.1 innings of one-run ball.
Harding vs. Texas A&M International
Junior Hannah Garrett collected four RBIs to help power the Harding Lady Bisons over the Texas A&M International Dustdevils 14-6 on Friday.
Sophomore Maegan Pistokache (1-0) got the win out of the bullpen for Harding (2-0). The right-hander went 1.2 shutout innings without giving up a hit, no walks and striking out two.
Garrett went 2-for-3 with a double in addition to her four RBIs for the Lady Bisons. Freshman Madisen Mann compiled a standout performance as well, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs. Junior Madison Fraley also chipped in for Harding, putting together two hits in two trips to the plate while adding a home run, a walk and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lady Bisons scored in six different innings on the way to victory. Harding broke a 1-1 tie and took the lead for good at 2-1 in the second inning on Mann's one-out RBI double.
GAME NOTES
» The Lady Bisons power output was led by Mann, who compiled two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» Garrett drove in four runs for Harding.
» Every Harding starter reached base safely in the win.
» Harding's highest scoring inning was the third, when it pushed five runs across.
» The Lady Bisons had control of the rest of the game after jumping ahead of the Dustdevils 3-1 in the bottom of the second.
» Four Lady Bisons had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Lady Bisons out-hit the Dustdevils at an 11-9 clip.
» Harding went 5-for-16 (.313) with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers faced 28 Texas A&M International hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out four.
» The Lady Bisons drew five walks from Texas A&M International pitching.
» Mann led the Bisons at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs.
» Texas A&M International was led offensively by junior Briana Arredondo, who went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs.
The Lady Bisons will be back in action Saturday when they face No. 15 Oklahoma Christian at 1 p.m. and #1 Texas-Tyler at 3 p.m.
