SEARCY - The 23rd-ranked Harding softball team rallied late to split Friday's doubleheader against Northwestern Oklahoma State in Great American Conference action, taking the second game 6-5 after falling in the opener 2-1.
Harding moves to 37-15 overall and 20-12 in the GAC.
Northwestern moves to 14-35 overall and 8-24 in the GAC.
GAME ONE – Northwestern Okla. 2, Harding 1
Northwestern Oklahoma edged Harding 2-1 Friday in the opening game of their Great American Conference series.
Rachel Sherwood's two-run homer in the fourth inning proved to be the difference for the Rangers.
Kaya Lee scored the lone run for the Lady Bisons in the third inning after singling and later stealing second base. Zoey Neal drove her in with a single. Harding stranded six runners in the contest.
Zoey Neal led Harding, going 3-for-3.
Madelyn Cason (4-7) earned the win for Northwestern Oklahoma, pitching a complete game and allowing one run on eight hits.
Brooklyn Gobble (16-6) took the loss for Harding, surrendering two runs on five hits and striking out nine in her seven innings of work.
GAME TWO – Harding 6, Northwestern Okla. 5
Down 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh, the Lady Bisons rallied for four runs. Pinch-hit singles by Emma Zaboronek and Emma Curry put runners on first and second with no outs. After a groundout advanced both, Jadyn Booth reached on a throwing error, scoring two and put the Lady Bisons within a run. Zoey Neal singled, and then Emaline Pearson's sacrifice fly brought in the tying run. Lana Danielson reentered and has an RBI single to walk it off for Harding.
Pearson made it 5-2 with a solo home run in the sixth inning for Harding. It was her fifth home run of the season. The Lady Bisons' first run came in the second when Brooklyn Gobble scored on an RBI ground out by Brooke Johnson.
Riley Price (12-7) earned the win in relief, allowing one unearned run on two hits over 2 2/3 innings. Avery Booker started for Harding, giving up four runs on six hits through 4 1/3 innings.
For Northwestern Oklahoma, starter Chloe Brown took the loss, surrendering three earned runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings.
The Rangers tied the game 1-1 in the fourth when Kaitlyn Corn doubled home Rachel Sherwood, who had reached on a single and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Northwestern Oklahoma extended its lead to 4-1 in the fifth on three RBI singles. The Rangers added a run in the seventh when Sherwood grounded out to the pitcher, scoring Devynn Raile to make it 5-2.
The two teams will wrap up their series Saturday at noon. The five Harding seniors will be honored before the game at approximately 11:40 a.m.
