SEARCY – The Southern Nazarene softball team took both games of a Great American Conference doubleheader Friday over Harding. The Crimson Storm defeated Harding 7-4 and 5-4.
After Friday's GAC results, Harding will be the No. 3 seed in the upcoming GAC Tournament May 2-4 in the Bentonville, Arkansas. With the new tournament format, Harding will have a bye and will play the winner of the Southeastern Oklahoma (No. 6 seed) and Arkansas-Monticello (No. 7 seed) game at 6 p.m., at the Tiger Athletic Complex.
In game two, Macy Ham became the Harding single season stolen base leader surpassing Peyton Mills who had 35 in 2019.
Harding falls to 32-17 overall and 21-11 in the GAC.
Southern Nazarene improves to 36-14 overall and 25-7 in the GAC.
GAME ONE (Southern Nazarene 7, Harding 4)
Riley Price started and took the loss for Harding. She falls to 18-10 overall. Price went four innings, gave up six earned runs and had one walk. Sarah Philips came in and pitched three innings of relief. She only allowed one hit and no earned runs.
Macy Ham led Harding at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a run scored.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Southern Nazarene got on the board in the first, scoring a run on three hits.
The Crimson Storm plated two more runs on four hits in the second inning.
Harding got on the board in the third on a solo home run by Chelsea Blankenship. It was her sixth of the season.
Southern Nazarene made it 6-1 in the fourth when Emma Swearingen hit a three-run homer to left center.
Harding pulled to within two, 6-4, in the fifth scoring three runs on two hits. Jordan Cabana, Chelsea Blankenship and Ashton Bryce all had an RBI in the inning.
The Crimson Storm scored an insurance run in the sixth on one hit and a Harding error.
GAME NOTES
- Southern Nazarene outhit Harding 14-7.
- Harding had four stolen bases in the game, led by Mariana Caro who had two.
- Janie Worthington got the win for Southern Nazarene to improve to 20-3 overall. She went the distanced, gave up four earned runs, walked five and struck out three.
- Kenedi Morelock led the Crimson Storm at the plate going 3-for-4 with two RBI's and three runs scored.
GAME TWO (Southern Nazarene 5, Harding 4)
Abby Burch started and received the loss. She falls to 13-6 overall. Burch threw seven innings, allowed one earned run, walked three and struck out three.
Tori Turner led Harding at the plate going 2-for-3 with a run scored.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Southern Nazarene got the scoring started in the third, scoring a run on a throwing error.
Harding took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third on two hits and a Southern Nazarene error.
The Lady Bisons made it 3-1 in the fifth when Emma Curry hit a sacrifice fly that scored Jordan Cabana.
Southern Nazarene took a 4-3 lead in the sixth on three hits and a Harding error.
The Lady Bisons tied the game in the sixth when Mariana Caro hit a single to left center that scored Tori Turner from second.
The Crimson Storm scored the go ahead run in the seventh on a Harding throwing error.
GAME NOTES
- Harding outhit Southern Nazarene 7-5.
- Macy Ham had two stolen bases in the game which gave her 36 on the season. It is a new single-season Harding record for the most stolen bases in a season. It was previously held by Peyton Mills who had 35 stolen bases in 2019.
- Janie Worthington came in out of the pen and got the win for Southern Nazarene. She improves to 21-3 overall. She pitched two innings, gave up one earned run and a walk.
- Mikayla Oaks led Southern Nazarene at the plate, going 2-for-2 with an RBI.
NEXT UP
The two teams will wrap up their series Saturday with a single game starting at noon.
