SEARCY, Ark. – Behind a six-run fourth inning and a milestone-heavy performance from its veteran core, the Harding baseball team defeated Missouri S&T 8-3 on Tuesday afternoon at Jerry Moore Field.
The Bisons (12-8) improved to 7-1 at home this season and extended a remarkable team record, having now stolen 42 consecutive bases without being caught.
Junior left fielder Nathan Bowie led the charge for the Harding offense, turning in his first three-hit game of the season. Bowie finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while also contributing one of Harding's two stolen bases on the day.
After Missouri S&T (6-8) took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning on an unearned run, the Harding bats came alive in the fourth. The Bisons sent 10 batters to the plate and tallied eight hits in the frame. Phoenix West and Logan Lacey ignited the rally with back-to-back bunt singles before Cooper Newsom loaded the bases.
Dom Davis provided the go-ahead blow, a two-RBI single through the left side that scored West and Lacey. The carousel continued as Bowie, Ryder Rutledge, Collin Helms, and West all added RBIs to push the Harding lead to 6-1.
Lacey, who finished the day 1-for-5, extended his streak of reaching base to 20 consecutive games. He now sits just nine hits shy of the Harding career record. Cooper Newsom also moved closer to history, recording his 188th career hit.
On the mound, junior Keaton Baird (1-0) earned his first win of the season. Baird tossed 4.0 innings, allowing just two hits and one unearned run while striking out four Miners. The Harding bullpen provided solid relief, capped by Josiah Binford, who struck out four of the seven batters he faced in two hitless innings to close the door.
Harding added two insurance runs in the sixth inning when Collin Helms and Phoenix West drew bases-loaded walks and reached on an error, respectively.
Missouri S&T was led by Nick Hooper, who drove in one run on one hit, but the Miners struggled to find rhythm against the Bisons' staff, striking out nine times as a team. Bricen Smith, who entered the game 10th in Division II in batting average, was held hitless in three at-bats by the Harding arms.
Harding returns to Great American Conference play this weekend at East Central in Ada, Oklahoma. The Bisons are 8-4 in conference play, one game out of first place.
NOTES: Harding is now 12-1 this season when leading after six innings... The Bisons' 42 consecutive stolen bases since their last caught stealing (dating back to mid-February) has doubled the previous school record of 21 set in 2001... Collin Helms was hit by a pitch twice in the contest, running his school record to 67 HBPs (John Dano of Missouri Western holds the D2 record at 93).
