ADA, Okla. – The 19TH-ranked Harding softball team needed nine innings to complete the Great American Conference series sweep over East Central Saturday. The Lady Bisons scored three runs in the ninth to win 5-2.
Harding improves to 40-11 overall and 23-7 in the GAC. It is only the second time in program history Harding has won 40 games in a season. The Lady Bisons won 58 games during the 2017 season.
East Central falls to 18-26 overall and 11-19 in the GAC.
Maegan Pistokache (8-3) started in the circle and picked up the win for Harding. The right-hander went eight innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on six hits, allowing one walk and striking out four. Abby Burch came out of the pen and shutdown the Tigers in the ninth inning to pick up her NCAA Division II leading 17th save of the season.
Offensively, the Lady Bisons were paced by Hanna Jones, who went 2-for-4 on the day with a double, a walk and an RBI. Emma Curry also went 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI. Leigha Harris also chipped in for Harding, putting together one hit in four trips to the plate while adding a double, a walk and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Harding jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Emma Curry hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Hanna Jones.
East Central answered back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Gabi Quintanilla.
The Tigers take a 2-1 lead in the fifth on an RBI single by Megan Lesko.
The Lady Bisons tied the game in the seventh when Leigha Harris hit a double to left field that scored Hannah Garrett. Harding had a runner at third with one out but couldn't produce the go-ahead run.
The Lady Bisons broke the tie in the ninth scoring three runs on five hits and an error. Hanna Jones doubled in a run and Emma Curry and Chelsea Blankenship each singled in a run.
Abby Burch came on to pitch for Harding in the bottom of the ninth and put the Tigers down in order.
GAME NOTES
» Five Lady Bisons had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Lady Bisons out-hit the Tigers at a 14-6 clip.
» Harding went 5-for-14 (.357) with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers faced 35 East Central hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and 11 fly balls while striking out five.
» Harding left a season-high 13 runners on base.
» East Central was led offensively by Vanessa Tamayo, who went 2-for-4 with a double.
Harding will play its final regular season GAC series next weekend when it travels to Bethany, Oklahoma to take on Southern Nazarene. First pitch is scheduled for Friday at 3 p.m.
