SEARCY – The Harding softball team dropped both games of the Great American Conference doubleheader against Southern Nazarene Friday at the HU Softball Field. The Crimson Storm won 3-2 and 9-6.

Harding falls to 21-10 overall and 10-6 in the GAC. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak.

Southern Nazarene improves to 12-17 overall and 9-6 in the GAC.

GAME 1

Sophomore Maegan Pistokache (8-3) got the ball to start for Harding and took the loss.

Ashton Bryce led Harding at the plate going 3-for-3 with a double. Junior Nicole Shano also went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Senior Hanna Jones went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Harding got on the board in the first when Leigha Harris hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Hanna Jones.

Southern Nazarene took the lead in the fifth scoring two runs on three hits.

The Crimson Storm got an insurance run in the seventh when Natalie Jones hit a solo home run to left field.

Harding got a run back in the seventh when Shano hit a double to left that scored Jones. Southern Nazarene got a lineout to end the game.

GAME NOTES

» Junior Madison Fraley stole two bases in the game.
» Harding pitchers faced 32 Southern Nazarene hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out three.
» Southern Nazarene was led offensively by junior Natalie Jones, who went 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI.
 

GAME 2

Junior Lily Tanski (7-5) started and took the loss in the circle for Harding. Sophomore Abby Burch came on in relief and threw an inning while allowing one hit and striking out two.

Junior Madison Fraley led Harding going 4-for-4 with an RBI.Senior. Hanna Jones also went 2-for-5 with a double, a triple and an RBI. Freshman Leigha Harris also went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Trailing 4-0, the Lady Bisons got a run in the fourth inning. Harding got an RBI single from Fraley, scoring sophomore Chelsea Blankenship from third base.

The Lady Bisons deficit expanded to 8-1 before their offense got back on the scoreboard, cutting into that deficit in the fifth inning. Harding got RBIs from Leigha Harris and Ashton Bryce.

Trailing 9-3, the Lady Bisons notched two runs off a single by Harris that scored Fraley and junior Hannah Garrett.

Harding scored a run in the seventh but the Southern Nazarene defense kept the Lady Bisons at bay.

GAME NOTES

» Five Harding hitters had multiple base knocks in the game.
» The Lady Bisons out-hit the Crimson Storm at a 15-10 clip.
» Harding went 5-for-13 (.385) with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers faced 38 Southern Nazarene hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out three.
» The Lady Bisons drew four walks from Southern Nazarene pitching.
» Southern Nazarene was led offensively by freshman Hailey Evans, who went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs.

The two teams will wrap up their series Saturday with a single game at noon.