MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Harding Softball team swept Christian Brothers in a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday behind seven home runs. The Lady Bisons won 11-6 and 14-6.
Leigha Harris hit two homeruns in the second game and broke the Harding single game RBI record with seven. The previous RBI record of six had happened four times with the most recently being by Nicole Shano against Arkansas-Monticello earlier this season.
Harding improves to 24-10 overall and Christian Brothers falls to 10-22.
GAME 1
Sophomore Chelsea Blankenship and junior Nicole Shano each racked up two extra base hits to help propel the Harding Lady Bisons over the Christian Brothers Buccaneers 11-6 in game one.
Sophomore Jessica Bridges (4-1) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Harding (23-10). The right-hander went two innings, giving up one run on two hits, allowing no walks and striking out two.
Shano's two extra base hits were the highlight of a 2-for-3 day, and included a double, a home run, two walks and four RBIs. Blankenship made her contribution with a double, a home run and an RBI, part of a 2-for-4 performance at the plate. Sophomore Ashlyn Peterson also contributed for the Lady Bisons, putting together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding a home run and two RBIs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lady Bisons got on the board in the second when Blankenship led off the inning with a home run. It was her seventh of the season. Two batters later, Jordan Cabana hit a solo home run to left field. It was her first of the season.
Christian Brothers tied the game with a solo home run in the second and third innings.
Harding took a 4-2 lead in the fourth when Shano hit a two-run homer to left. It was her 13th of the season.
Christian Brothers tied the game again in the fourth off a two-run home run by RJ Simpson.
In the fifth inning, Madison Fraley hit a double to left field that scored Blankenship from third.
Harding went up 7-4 in the sixth when Ashlyn Peterson hit a two-run homer to left field. It was her first home run of the season.
The Lady Bisons made it 11-4 in the seventh scoring four runs on three hits. Shano highlighted the inning with a two-run double down the right field line. Hanna Jones and Leigha Harris both had RBIs in the inning.
Christian Brothers made it 11-6 in the seventh scoring two runs off two hits.
GAME NOTES
» Shano drove in four runs for Harding. It was her 10th multiple RBI game of the season.
» Harding hitters hit four home runs in the ballgame. It was the second time this season the Lady Bisons have hit four home runs in a game. The hit as many against Pittsburg State earlier this season in Bentonville, Arkansas.
» The Lady Bisons out-hit the Buccaneers at a 12-7 clip.
» Harding went 4-for-11 (.364) with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers faced 30 Christian Brothers hitters in the game, allowing four ground balls and 11 fly balls while striking out five.
» The Lady Bisons drew five walks from Christian Brothers pitching.
» Christian Brothers was led offensively by freshman Kiera Coulon, who went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and an RBI.
GAME 2
Sophomore Ashlyn Peterson (1-0) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Harding in game two. The left-hander went two innings, giving up two runs, zero earned, on two hits. Junior Lily Tanski also made an impact in the circle for the Lady Bisons, starting the game and throwing three innings, giving up one run on one hit.
Harris went 4-for-4 at the plate, supplementing her two home runs with two doubles while driving in seven runs. Sophomore Chelsea Blankenship added to Harris' power-hitting performance by going 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. Sophomore Ashton Bryce also chipped in for the Lady Bisons, going 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lady Bisons got the scoring started early, putting four runs on the board in the top of the first inning on three hits. Bryce highlighted the inning with a two-run double to right center.
First batter for Christian Brothers in the game hit a home run to right to make it 4-1.
Harding added another run in the second when Harris hit a double to left center that scored Hannah Garrett.
The Lady Bisons made it 7-1 in the fourth when Harris hit a two-run home run to center field.
Christian Brothers got two more runs back in the fourth scoring two on two hits and an error.
Harding plated two more runs in the sixth on RBIs by Harris and Bryce.
Christian Brothers made it 9-5 in the sixth when Elaina McGill hit a two-run home run to center.
The Lady Bisons added five more runs on three hits and two errors in the seventh inning. Harris hit a three-run home run in the inning and Chelsea Blankenship hit a solo home run to left.
GAME NOTES
» Harris' two home runs were home runs number five and six.
» It was Harris' fourth multiple RBI game of the season.
» Four Lady Bisons had multiple hits in the game.
» Harding hitters hit three home runs in the game.
» The Lady Bisons out-hit the Buccaneers at a 15-4 clip.
» Harding went 8-for-15 (.533) with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers limited Christian Brothers to just 1-for-5 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers faced 30 Christian Brothers hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and 11 fly balls while striking out three.
» The Lady Bisons drew four walks from Christian Brothers pitching.
» Christian Brothers was led offensively by junior Elaina McGill, who went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs.
The Lady Bisons will be back in action this weekend when they host Arkansas-Monticello in a three-game Great American Conference series. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m., Friday at the HU Softball Field.
