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Harding University Athletics

Sebastian Martinez
5
Okla. Baptist OKB 9-3, 3-1 GAC
6
Winner Harding HU 10-2, 4-0 GAC
Okla. Baptist OKB
9-3, 3-1 GAC
5
Final
6
Harding HU
10-2, 4-0 GAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Okla. Baptist OKB 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 5 9 3
Harding HU 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 6 13 0

W: Jay, Merritt (2-1) L: William Ellis (1-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Scott Goode (2/23/24)

Harding Walks Off Oklahoma Baptist in GAC Series Opener

SEARCY – Harding started and finished the first game of a three-game Great American Conference series Friday with a bang, as the Bisons hit two home runs in the first inning and a walk-off double in the ninth to defeat Oklahoma Baptist 6-5 at Jerry Moore Field.

The teams will wrap up the series with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.

With the game tied 5-5 in the top of the ninth, Harding right fielder Michael Dewald made a spectacular diving catch to rob Oklahoma Baptist of an extra-base hit and end the inning, setting the stage for the dramatic finish.

Logan Lacey led off the bottom of the ninth with an infield single and advanced to second on Dewald's sacrifice bunt. Nathan Bowie then drove the first pitch he saw to right field for a double, scoring Lacey with the game-winning run.

Harding was trailing 5-4 entering the bottom of the eighth, but scored the tying run on a bizarre play. Coulton Doyle hit a dribbler that barely left the circle around home plate. Oklahoma Baptist's catcher picked up the ball and threw it wildly to first, allowing Doyle to reach third. Another errant throw from the outfield let Doyle score the tying run.

Oklahoma Baptist had taken the 5-4 lead with a three-run double with the bases loaded in the seventh. Harding right-hander Merritt Jay came in to relieve and shut down Oklahoma Baptist. He retired all six of the batters he faced, striking out four, to earn his second win of the season.

Harding led 4-2 after six innings, scoring a run in the fifth on Lacey's RBI single and another in the sixth on Sebastian Martinez's RBI double to left.

Harding had opened the scoring with solo home runs from Collin Helms and Martinez in the first, but Oklahoma Baptist tied the game at 2-2 with two runs in the third.

Martinez had a stellar day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs, two doubles and a home run. His nine total bases were a career high.

Maddox Long started on the mound for the Bisons and pitched six solid innings, allowing only two earned runs and striking out 10, the second time in four starts this season that he has reached double digits in strikeouts.

The win was Harding's ninth in its last 10 games and improved the Bisons' record to 10-2 overall and 4-0 in the GAC. Oklahoma Baptist dropped to 9-3 overall and 3-1 in conference.
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