SEARCY, Ark. – The Harding softball team relied on a pair of stellar pitching performances and timely hitting to sweep a Great American Conference doubleheader from East Central on Friday at Ingram Field, winning the opener 5-3 before taking the nightcap 1-0.

With the sweep, Harding moves to 13-12 overall and 8-3 in GAC play.

Game 1: Harding 5, East Central 3

In the opener, Harding jumped out to an early lead with a three-run third inning, capitalizing on two East Central errors. Bailey Robinson drove in the first run with an RBI double down the left-field line, scoring Tori Turner. Ella Friederich later reached on an error that allowed Robinson to score, and Zoey Neal capped the frame with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

The Lady Bisons added two insurance runs in the fourth. Turner delivered an RBI double to score Logan Ringel, and Robinson followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 5-0.

East Central (5-19, 3-7 GAC) threatened in the fifth when Kenni Tudor hit a three-run home run, but the Harding pitching staff slammed the door from there. Avery Booker (6-3) earned the win, while Brooklyn Gobble tossed two scoreless innings of relief to pick up her first save of the season.

Game 2: Harding 1, East Central 0

The second game was a classic pitcher's duel that saw Brooklyn Gobble (7-8) turn in one of her most dominant performances of the season. Gobble fired a complete-game two-hit shutout, striking out five and facing just two batters over the minimum.

Harding provided the only run Gobble would need in the bottom of the first inning. Tori Turner drew a lead-off walk, stole second, and was driven home on an RBI single up the middle by Bailey Robinson.

The Lady Bisons' defense remained perfect behind Gobble, committing zero errors across both games of the doubleheader. Zoey Neal led the offense in game two, going 2-for-3 with two doubles.

The two teams will wrap up their series Saturday with a single game at noon.