ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Harding softball team dropped both ends of a Great American Conference doubleheader to Ouachita Baptist on Saturday at Langston Field, falling 4-1 in the opener and 7-3.
The losses moved the Lady Bisons to 8-12 overall and 3-3 in GAC play, while the Tigers improved to 8-9 and 5-1 in conference action.
Game 1: Ouachita Baptist 4, Harding 1
In a pitcher's duel that remained scoreless through three innings, the Tigers finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth. Remington Adams and Emily Reed reached on a single and double, respectively, before Morgan Uher drove in the first run of the day with a sacrifice bunt.
Harding answered in the top of the fifth. Lana Danielson sparked the rally with a double to left-center. After Alexis Boswell reached on a bunt single to put runners at the corners, Bailey Willis reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Danielson to cross the plate and tie the game 1-1.
However, the tie was short-lived. Ouachita regained the lead in the bottom half of the fifth on an RBI double by Addison Davidson. The Tigers added insurance in the sixth when Uher launched a solo home run to left, followed by an RBI double from Olivia See.
Brooklyn Gobble (4-7) took the loss for Harding, allowing two runs on two hits in three-plus innings of work. Hannah Hunter earned the win for the Tigers, limiting the Lady Bisons to just four hits.
Game 2: Ouachita Baptist 7, Harding 3
The long ball proved to be the difference in the second game, as Ouachita Baptist used three home runs to secure the sweep.
The Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning behind a solo homer from Karley Burrow and a two-run shot by Jordyn Merrett. They added another run in the fourth on a Burrow groundout to make it 4-0.
Harding showed life in the fifth inning. After Bailey Willis singled to left-center, Payton Alexander crushed a two-run home run to left field, cutting the deficit in half.
The Lady Bisons' momentum was halted in the bottom of the fifth. Following a Harding error that extended the inning, Emily Reed connected for a three-run, unearned home run to left field, pushing the Tigers' lead to 7-2.
Zoey Neal brought home the final run for the Lady Bisons in the sixth with an RBI double that scored Gobble.
Burrow (2-1) earned the win for the Tigers, while Gobble (4-8) was charged with the loss.
Up Next
Harding returns to action next weekend when it hosts Henderson State in a three-game series scheduled for a doubleheader Friday starting at 4 p.m.
