YOUNGSVILLE, La. – The Harding softball teams won both games this play Saturday on the second day of the Mardis Gras Invitational. The Lady Bisons defeated Midwestern State 5-2 and No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville 6-5 in eight innings.
It was Harding's 19th win over a ranked opponent.
The Lady Bisons improve to 3-1 on the season.
Midwestern State falls to 0-3 and Texas A&M-Kingsville falls to 1-3.
Game 1 (Harding 5, Midwestern State 2)
Sophomore Riley Price (2-0) got the win for Harding (2-1). The right-hander went four innings, giving up one run on one hit and striking out six. Junior Abby Burch also pitched well and got the save, throwing two shutout innings without allowing a hit, a walk and striking out two.
Sophomore Emma Curry led the way offensively for the Lady Bisons, going 1-for-3 in the ballgame with a double, a walk and an RBI. Sophomore Leigha Harris also went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Junior Jordan Cabana also helped out, going 1-for-3 for Harding with a double and a walk.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lady Bisons got the scoring started early, putting two runs on the board in the top of the first inning. Emma Curry and Chelsea Blankenship each had an RBI in the inning.
Midwestern State scored a run on a Harding error to make it 2-1.
Harding made it 5-1 in the second inning, scoring three runs on no hits. Nicole Shano was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded which scored Jordan Cabana. Hannah Garrett scored on a fielders choice and Hanna Jones stole home.
Midwestern State scored its second run on a squeeze bunt in the sixth inning.
GAME NOTES
» Harding grabbed a 2-1 lead in the top half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» The Lady Bisons out-hit the Mustangs at a 6-1 clip.
» The Lady Bisons stole five bases in the game.
» Harding pitchers limited Midwestern State to just 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers faced 27 Midwestern State hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and four fly balls while striking out nine.
» The Lady Bisons drew five walks from Midwestern State pitching.
Game 2 (Harding 6, No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville 5 – 8 Inn.)
The Harding Lady Bisons pulled off the 6-5 extra-innings victory over the No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas Saturday.
Junior Abby Burch (1-0) got the win out of the bullpen for Harding (3-1). The right-hander went two innings, giving up one run on one hit and struck out one. Junior Maegan Pistokache also pitched well, going six innings, surrendering two runs, both earned, on six hits, walking one and striking out two.
Offensively, the Lady Bisons were led by senior Nicole Shano, who went 2-for-5 on the day with a triple and two RBI. Senior Hanna Jones furnished a standout performance as well, going 2-for-5 with a triple and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lady Bisons were trailing 2-0 in the third inning when they first put runs on the board. Harding scratched across a run off sophomore Carissa De Los Santos when Shano tripled in senior Madison Fraley.
The Lady Bisons kept the deficit at 2-1 before tying the score in the fourth. Harding scored off the bat of sophomore Riley Price.
Texas A&M-Kingsville busted up the tie and grabbed a 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Harding tied the game at four in the top of the seventh on RBIs by Shano and Harris.
The game remained tied until the very next inning, when Harding got rolling again on offense. The Lady Bisons produced a two-run frame, punctuated with an RBI triple from Jones, bringing the score to 6-4 in favor of Harding. Texas A&M-Kingsville put one run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the eighth, but the Lady Bisons still held on for the 6-5 win.
GAME NOTES
» Four Bisons had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Lady Bisons out-hit the Javelinas at a 10-9 clip.
» Harding pitchers limited Texas A&M-Kingsville to just 1-for-9 (.111) with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers faced 38 Texas A&M-Kingsville hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out three.
» Texas A&M-Kingsville was led offensively by freshman Brylee Bilger, who went 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI.
Harding will wrap up the invitational Sunday with a single game against Union scheduled for 11 a.m.
