BENTONVILLE, Ark. – The Harding softball team got two wins and three home runs by Nicole Shano to wrap up the Alvy Early/UAM Softball Classic Sunday. The Lady Bisons defeated Central Missouri 5-4 and Pittsburg State 7-5.
Harding improves to 7-2 on the season.
Central Missouri falls to 1-2 and Pittsburg State falls to 3-6.
GAME 1 (Harding 5, Central Missouri 4)
Sophomore Riley Price (4-1) came in and pitched 4 1/3 relief innings. She allowed two walks and struck out five. Abby Burch came in and got the save for Harding, her fourth of the season. She threw 2/3 innings, not giving up a hit.
Senior Nicole Shano led Harding going 2-for-3, with a double and a home run. Sophomore Leigha Harris also went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the first, Harding got a run back on a sacrifice fly by Emma Curry.
Harding tied the game in the second when Macy Smith hit a single that scored Chelsea Blankenship.
Trailing 4-3 and runners at second and third in the fifth, Leigha Harris hit a bases-clearing single to give Harding the lead.
GAME NOTES
» Harding went 3-for-5 (.600) with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers limited Central Missouri to just 1-for-9 (.111) with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers faced 32 Central Missouri hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and five fly balls while striking out six.
» Central Missouri was led offensively by senior Ashlyn Cook, who went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and two RBI.
GAME 2 (Harding 7, Pittsburg State 5)
Sophomore Riley Price (5-1) got the win for Harding in relief. The right-hander went 4.1 innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on eight hits, allowing no walks and striking out three. Abby Burch got the save, her fifth of the season. She threw 2/3 innings and had one strikeout.
In the batter's box, the Lady Bisons were paced by senior Nicole Shano, who went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI. Sophomore Emma Curry also homered in the game. Junior Ashlyn Peterson also had a pitch hit RBI double.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lady Bisons found themselves down again after the top first inning but quickly took the lead on a sacrifice fly by Leigha Harris and a solo home run by Emma Curry.
Trailing 4-3, Nicole Shano led off the third inning with a solo home run.
Pittsburg State took a 5-4 lead in the sixth on a solo home run by Kianna Pellegrino.
In the sixth inning with a runner at second, Ashlyn Peterson hit a pitch-hit double that scored Madison Fraley. Two batters later and two outs, Nicole Shano hit a two-run home run to give Harding the lead.
GAME NOTES
» Harding pitchers limited Pittsburg State to just 2-for-11 (.182) with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers faced 34 Pittsburg State hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and six fly balls while striking out five.
» Pittsburg State was led offensively by freshman Kianna Pellegrino, who went 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBI.
Harding will be back in action next weekend when it takes part in the Music City Invitational in Smyrna, Tennessee. The Lady Bisons will open the invitational against Maryville on Friday at 1 p.m.
