SEARCY, Ark. – Despite a career-long performance on the mound from Merritt Jay and several milestone marks reached, Harding baseball dropped both ends of a regular-season ending doubleheader to Arkansas Tech on Senior Day Saturday at Jerry Moore Field. The Wonder Boys took the opener 5-4 before claiming the nightcap 5-1.

Harding concludes the regular season with a 29-18 overall record and a 21-12 mark in Great American Conference play. The results finalize the conference standings, with the Bisons entering the postseason as the No. 3 seed.

NEXT UP

The Bisons head to Majestic Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, for the GAC Tournament. Harding will open postseason play as the No. 3 seed against the No. 6 seed Northwestern Oklahoma State on Thursday, April 30, at 8 p.m. The other teams included in Harding's bracket (Bracket #2) are No. 2 seed Arkansas Tech and No. 7 seed Ouachita Baptist. The winner of Bracket #1 (Arkansas-Monticello, Southern Arkansas, Southeastern Oklahoma and East Central) will take on the Bracket #2 winner in a three-game series May 8-10 at the highest remaining seed.  

GAME 1: Arkansas Tech 5, Harding 4

Senior right-hander Merritt Jay was dominant for much of the afternoon, carrying a lead into the ninth inning while scattering just four hits. Jay finished with 8.1 innings pitched, striking out six and allowing three runs.

The Bisons jumped out early when Easton Jones launched his fourth home run of the season—a solo shot to left field—in the first inning. Harding added an unearned run in the second when Ryder Rutledge singled home Jack Opoien.

In the sixth, Nathan Bowie and Logan Lacey started a rally with back-to-back singles. Jones followed with an RBI single to score Bowie, and Collin Helms capped the inning with a base hit to right-center, extending the Harding lead to 4-1.

However, the Wonder Boys rallied in the top of the ninth, using three hits and two walks to plate three runs and take their first lead of the game. Harding was unable to answer in the bottom half.

GAME 2: Arkansas Tech 5, Harding 1

In the seven-inning series finale, the Bisons struggled to find the timely hit, leaving eight runners on base despite recording nine hits.

Arkansas Tech took a 2-0 lead in the second, but Harding answered quickly in the bottom half. Phoenix West walked and moved to third on an Opoien single before Rutledge drove him in with a base hit through the left side.

The Wonder Boys added two more in the fourth and an insurance run in the sixth. Harding's best chance to close the gap came in the final frame when Jensen Presley was hit by a pitch and Lacey singled to bring the tying run to the on-deck circle, but a flyout ended the threat.

Ryan Romolo (6-3) suffered the loss, while Keaton Baird and Josiah Binford provided 3.2 innings of solid relief, allowing just one unearned run.

BISON NOTES

• The Streak Continues: With a single in both games, Logan Lacey extended his school-record reached-base streak to 47 games. He has reached base in every game this season.

• Milestone for Jones: Easton Jones hit his 20th double of the season in Game 2. 

• Home Defense: Harding finishes the 2026 home slate with a 17-5 record at Jerry Moore Field.