ADA, Okla. – The 15th-ranked Harding softball team won both games of its Great American Conference doubleheader Saturday against East Central. The Lady Bisons won 6-4 and 6-3.
Harding improves to 24-3 overall and 12-1 in the GAC.
East Central falls to 12-12 overall and 5-8 in the GAC.
GAME ONE – Harding 6, East Central 4
Riley Price pitched five strong innings and Brooklyn Gobble earned the save as Harding defeated East Central 6-4 in game one.
Price (7-2) allowed three runs on five hits with a strikeout. Gobble pitched two innings of relief, giving up one run on two hits while striking out two.
Harding tied the game at three in the fourth inning on a three-run homer by Cameron Timmons. It was her first home run of the season.
The Lady Bisons added a run in the sixth when Tori Turner scored on an error. East Central tied the game in the sixth when Elyse LeClair doubled in a run.
Harding took a 6-4 lead in the seventh on RBI's by Zoey Neal and Emma Curry.
Taylor Spence (0-3) took the loss for East Central, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings.
GAME TWO – Harding 6, East Central 3
Zoey Neal's three-run single in the second inning and a solo home run in the seventh propelled Harding to a 6-3 victory over East Central in game two.
The Lady Bisons took advantage of two East Central errors in the second inning to score five runs. Bailey Willis, Brooklyn Gobble and Zoey Neal each had RBI's in the inning.
East Central got a home run from Shayne Roberts in the second inning, but couldn't overcome the early deficit. Amiah Galcatcher added an RBI double in the first inning and an RBI single in the fifth.
Brooklyn Gobble (10-1) earned the win, allowing two earned runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings. Avery Booker picked up her second save, pitching 2.1 scoreless innings in relief.
Harding out-hit East Central 14-7, with Macy Ham, Kaya Lee, Zoey Neal, Emma Curry and Bailey Willis each collecting multiple hits.
The two teams will wrap up their series Sunday with a single game starting at noon.
