RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Harding softball team dropped both ends of a Great American Conference doubleheader to Arkansas Tech on Saturday afternoon at the Chartwells Women's Sports Complex, falling 5-4 in a walk-off opener and 2-0 in the finale.
The losses moved the Lady Bisons to 24-20 overall and 19-10 in the GAC, while Arkansas Tech improved to 36-12 and 24-6 in conference play.
Game 1: Arkansas Tech 5, Harding 4
Harding jumped out to an early lead in the first inning when Logan Ringel reached on an error and eventually scored on a stolen base and a subsequent throwing error. Zoey Neal then added an RBI single to give the Lady Bisons a 2-0 advantage.
The Golden Suns answered immediately in the bottom of the first with a two-run single by Aly White. Defensive miscues hampered Harding in the middle innings, as Tech scored unearned runs in the fourth and fifth to take a 4-2 lead.
In the top of the sixth, Ringel led off with a single before Neal launched a two-run home run to right field—her team-leading seventh blast of the season—to knot the game at 4-4.
However, Arkansas Tech secured the win in the bottom of the seventh. Following a two-out single by Miya Curry, Aubree Jones doubled to right-center field to drive in the winning run.
Brooklyn Gobble (15-14) took the tough-luck loss, allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits over 6.2 innings. Emily Richarde earned the win in relief for Tech.
Game 2: Arkansas Tech 2, Harding 0
The series finale was a pitcher's duel between Harding's Avery Booker and Tech's Emily Richarde. Richarde, coming off the game one victory, threw a complete-game four-hit shutout, striking out seven Lady Bisons.
Tech broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning when Caroline Wilhelm hit an RBI ground-rule double to score Jones. The Golden Suns added an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI fielder's choice by White.
Harding's best chance came in the third inning when Bailey Willis and Bailey Robinson both singled to put runners on, but the Lady Bisons were unable to capitalize.
Booker (8-5) suffered the loss despite a solid performance, giving up just two runs on five hits in six innings of work.
Next Up
Harding will be back in action Tuesday when it travels to Claremore, Oklahoma to take on Rogers State in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
