SEARCY, Ark. – Junior Avery Booker earned her fourth win of the season as Harding softball defeated Southwestern Oklahoma 8-3 on Friday afternoon in the final game of the three-game Great American Conference series.

The victory moved the Lady Bisons to 8-9 overall and 3-0 in GAC play, while the Bulldogs fell to 3-13 (0-3 GAC).

Harding's offense was efficient early, scoring in each of the first five innings. Tori Turner started the scoring in the first, crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly from Bailey Robinson. Lana Danielson then doubled the lead in the second, leading off with a bunt single before eventually scoring on an Avery Booker groundout.

The Lady Bisons broke the game open in the middle innings. In the fourth, pinch hitter Jadyn Booth delivered an RBI single to score Danielson, followed by a Tori Turner triple to right-center that pushed the lead to 5-1.

A three-run fifth inning effectively sealed the contest. Danielson picked up another RBI with a single up the middle, and two more runs crossed the plate following a SWOSU fielding error on a ball hit by Logan Ringel.

Booker (4-2) was solid in the circle, navigating through seven innings and striking out seven. Though SWOSU attempted a late rally in the seventh behind a two-RBI single from Riley Lusk, Booker and reliever Brooklyn Gobble combined to strand three Bulldog runners to end the game.

Stat Leaders:

·         Lana Danielson: 3-for-4, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB

·         Tori Turner: 3-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI

·         Avery Booker: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 7 K (W, 4-2)

Harding will look to carry the momentum into their next GAC series at Ouachita Baptist next weekend. The three-game series is scheduled to start Friday, Feb. 27 at 5 p.m.