SHAWNEE, Okla. (AP) — Harding's comeback on Sunday at Bison Field in Shawnee, Oklahoma, resulted in a 7-5 victory over Oklahoma Baptist in Great American Conference play. The win came after Oklahoma Baptist won both games on Saturday.
Harding (12-3 overall, 3-3 GAC) got on the board first in the second inning with Sebastian Martinez's double and Sawyer Price's RBI single to right field.
But Oklahoma Baptist (6-7, 2-4 GAC) led 5-1 after four innings when Harding's comeback began. Coulton Doyle scored on a single by Martinez in the fifth inning to cut the lead to 5-2. Harding added two more runs in the sixth inning on sacrifice flies from Doyle and Cody Smith to trim the lead to 5-4.
In the seventh inning, Seth Johnson hit a two-run homer to right field that also scored Smith, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Oklahoma Baptist pitchers hit two batters in the inning and threw three wild pitches, the third of which scored Doyle from third to give the Bisons a 7-5 advantage.
Harding had 12 hits, including Johnson's third home run of the season. Price and Smith also had three hits apiece, while Martinez had his first multi-hit game of the season.
Davis Welch matched his career-longest outing, going six innings and allowing six hits and five earned runs. Andrew Bradshaw (2-0) pitched the final three innings to get the relief win.
Harding's next game is a nonconference game Tuesday at Jerry Moore Field in Searcy, Arkansas, against Ouachita Baptist. The game starts at 2 p.m.