EDMOND, Okla. - The 18th-ranked Harding Lady Bisons scored two runs in the top of the seventh and held on to defeat 21st-ranked Oklahoma Baptist 3-2 Friday in the NCAA Central Region elimination game.
Harding advances to take on host team Central Oklahoma on Saturday in the NCAA Central Region One finals. The game has been moved up to a 11 a.m., start due to forecasted weather in the Oklahoma City area. The Lady Bisons will have to beat the Bronchos twice to advance to the super regional.
Harding improves to 46-13 overall and Oklahoma Baptist ends its season with a 44-12 record.
Junior Abby Burch improved to 4-0 on the season after coming in and pitching two shutout innings of relief. The right-hander gave up two hits and struck out three. Junior Maegan Pistokache also pitched well, throwing 3 1/3 shutout innings while allowing four hits, walking one and striking out three.
Senior Nicole Shano led the way offensively for the Lady Bisons, going 3-for-3. Sophomore Emma Curry and junior Jordan Cabana both went 1-for-3 for Harding with an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 2-0 in the fourth inning, Harding plated a run on three hits. Jordan Cabana hit a single to left field that scored Emma Curry from second.
With its final three outs facing them, Harding scored two runs when it needed it in the top of the seventh inning. With runners at the corners, Leigha Harris hit a grounder to the right side and Oklahoma Baptist came home with the throw but it wasn't in time to get Chelsea Blankenship. With the bases loaded, Emma Curry hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Macy Smith for the go ahead run.
Oklahoma Baptist had runners at the corners with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning but Abby Burch got back-to-back strikeouts to give Harding the win.
GAME NOTES
» Harding went 3-for-8 (.375) with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers limited Oklahoma Baptist to just 1-for-9 (.111) with runners in scoring position.
» Harding pitchers faced 33 Oklahoma Baptist hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and four fly balls while striking out eight.
» Oklahoma Baptist was led offensively by junior Reagan Ford, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI.
» Senior Aspen Younce received the loss for Oklahoma Baptist and falls to 10-3 on the season. She gave up three earned runs and struck out two.
