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Harding University Athletics

Zoey Neal (8).JPG
1
Harding HU
9
Winner Minn. Duluth UMD
Harding HU
1
Final
9
Minn. Duluth UMD
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
Harding HU 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 1
Minn. Duluth UMD 0 2 6 0 0 1 9 11 0

W: Williams, Allyssa (1) L: Booker, Avery (1)

3
Texas Woman's TWU
4
Winner Harding HU
Texas Woman's TWU
3
Final
4
Harding HU
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Texas Woman's TWU 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 8 1
Harding HU 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 4 9 0

W: Gobble, Brooklyn (1-1) L: Drissel, Faith (0-2)

Game Recap: Softball |

Dramatic Walk-Off Win Over TWU Highlights Harding’s Sunday in Mansfield

MANSFIELD, Texas — Zoey Neal delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Harding to a 4-3 victory over Texas Woman's, helping the Lady Bisons salvage a split on the final day of the Lonestar Invitational on Sunday.

The dramatic win followed a 9-1 setback to Minnesota Duluth earlier in the afternoon.

Game 1: Minnesota Duluth 9, Harding 1

In the opener, Minnesota Duluth (1-0) used a six-run third inning to pull away from the Lady Bisons.

Harding jumped out to a quick lead in the first inning when Neal homered to deep right field. It would be the only run of the game for the Lady Bisons, as Bulldogs pitcher Paige Johnson settled in to hold Harding to just four hits.

UMD tied the game in the second on a sacrifice fly and took the lead on an RBI single by Lauren Jenkins. The Bulldogs then broke the game open in the third, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Johnson and a two-RBI single by Kendal Jenkins.

Avery Booker (1-1) took the loss for Harding, allowing five runs in 2.0 innings. Jorja Wheeler provided 3.2 innings of relief and had four strikeouts.

Game 2: Harding 4, Texas Woman's 3

With the game tied 3-3 in the final frame, Bailey Willis sparked the winning rally with a one-out single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tori Turner. Neal then stepped to the plate and lined a 3-2 pitch into left-center, scoring Willis to secure the win for the Lady Bisons (2-2).

Harding initially took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Brooklynn Gobble tripled to center to score Lana Danielson. The lead grew to 2-0 in the fourth after Emaline Pearson drove in Brynley Jennings with a single up the middle.

Texas Woman's (0-2) cut the lead in half with a solo home run in the sixth, but Alexis Boswell answered in the bottom half for Harding with a solo blast of her own to restore the two-run cushion. However, the Pioneers refused to go quietly, as Marissa Espinoza hit a two-run homer in the top of the seventh to knot the game at 3-3 and set the stage for Neal's heroics.

Brooklyn Gobble (1-1) earned the win in relief, while Faith Drissel took the loss for TWU.

 

Harding returns to action next weekend when it takes part in the Alvy Early UAM Softball Classic in Bentonville, Arkansas. The Lady Bisons open the classic Friday against St. Mary's at 11 a.m.

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