DURANT, Okla. – The 15th-ranked Harding baseball team hit nine home runs Saturday to complete the series sweep over Southeastern Oklahoma in Great American Conference action. The Bisons won 15-13 and 7-6 in eight innings.
Harding improves to 24-5 overall and 15-3 in the GAC.
Southeastern Oklahoma falls to 10-19 overall and 8-10 in the GAC.
GAME ONE – Harding 15, Southeastern Okla. 13
Harding exploded for 15 runs on 15 hits, including seven home runs, to defeat Southeastern Oklahoma 15-13 in a wild game one Saturday.
Harding's seven home runs was the second most in game. The Bisons hit eight against Ozarks in March of 1999.
The Bisons trailed 6-0 after two innings but rallied with a run in the third, three runs in the fourth, two runs in the fifth, a run in the seventh, six runs in the eighth and two runs in the ninth.
Nathan Bowie, Logan Lacey, Collin Helms, Cooper Newsom, Sebastian Martinez, and Sawyer Price all homered for Harding, with Newsom's grand slam in the eighth inning highlighting the Bisons' scoring. It was Newsom's second homerun of the game.
Josiah Binford (1-0) earned the win in relief, and Javier Lobo picked up his fourth save.
Southeastern Oklahoma's Wesley Mitchell hit two home runs for the Savage Storm (10-18, 8-9 GAC).
Ryan Farquharson (0-1) took the loss in relief.
The game lasted 3 hours and 20 minutes and featured 28 runs, 29 hits, and 13 walks.
GAME TWO – Harding 7, Southeastern Okla. 6 – 8 Innings
Logan Lacey homered and drove in two runs to help Harding defeat Southeastern Oklahoma 7-6 in game two.
Harding took an early lead with two unearned runs in the first inning, capitalizing on an error by Southeastern Oklahoma. Cooper Newsom hit a two-run single to put Harding up 2-0.
Lacey's two-run homer in the second inning made it 4-0 Harding. Sebastian Martinez added a solo shot in the third to extend the lead to 5-2.
Southeastern Oklahoma rallied with three runs in the seventh, but Harding's Kyle Lane (2-0) earned the win in relief, striking out four in 1 2/3 innings.
Merritt Jay started for Harding, allowing five runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Tristan Mills (1-2) took the loss for Southeastern Oklahoma, surrendering one run on two hits in three innings.
The Bisons will be back in action Tuesday when they host Missouri S&T at 3 p.m., at Jerry Moore Field.