RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — The Harding baseball team fell 13-8 to Arkansas Tech in a high-scoring non-conference matchup Tuesday afternoon at Baswell Field.

The loss snaps a three-game winning streak for the Bisons (8-4), who were looking to carry momentum from a successful conference road trip into this midweek rivalry game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Arkansas Tech (8-8) jumped out to an immediate lead in the bottom of the first. After loading the bases against Bison starter Kai Twaites (0-1), Kirby Jenkins cleared them with a three-run double to left-center.

Harding responded in the third inning to pull within a run. Johnathan Jackson scored on an RBI groundout by Phoenix West before senior shortstop Cooper Newsom launched a towering two-run home run to center field, cutting the deficit to 4-3. The home run was Newsom's team-leading fifth of the year.

The Wonder Boys answered the Newsom homer immediately, plating two runs in the bottom of the third to regain a three-run cushion. Tech would go on to score in all eight of their offensive innings, totaling 12 hits on the day.

The Bisons mounted a significant threat in the sixth inning, scoring three times. Easton Jones delivered an RBI double to score Newsom, followed by a bases-loaded walk by Jackson and a sacrifice fly from Nathan Bowie. The rally brought Harding within two at 8-6, but Arkansas Tech pulled away for good with four runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

Harding added two final runs in the ninth on a two-run single from Jones, who finished the day with a team-high three RBIs.

STAT LEADERS

• Cooper Newsom: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI.

• Easton Jones: 2-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI.

• Nathan Bowie: 0-for-3, BB, RBI, R. Bowie extended his remarkable on-base streak to 42 games.

• Logan Lacey: 1-for-5. Lacey now has 210 career hits, moving into a tie for 7th place on Harding's all-time list with Adam Darby (2006-09) and David Butterfield (2018-22).

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Record Watch: Cooper Newsom's third-inning double was the 55th of his career. He now sits just two doubles shy of tying Luke Van Dover (57) for the Harding school record.

• On the Bases: The Bisons did not record a stolen base for the first time in five games, ending a streak of 27 consecutive successful attempts.

• Staff Day: Harding utilized five different pitchers in the non-conference rotation, with Kai Twaites making the start.

UP NEXT

Harding returns to Great American Conference play this weekend as they host a three-game series against Ouachita Baptist at Jerry Moore Field. The series begins Friday with a single game followed by a Saturday doubleheader. The Bisons currently sit in second place in the GAC standings with a 5-1 league record.