SEARCY — Harding senior right-hander Kyle Lane has been named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All-Central Region Second Team, the organization announced Friday.
The honor caps off a historic final season for the Xenia, Ohio, native, who served as the anchor of the Bisons' pitching staff.
Lane put together a flawless 9-0 record across 13 starts this season, becoming only the second pitcher in Harding program history to secure at least nine victories in a single season without recording a loss. His nine wins tied him for fourth-most in a single season in school history and ranked 18th nationally in Division II.
Over a career-high 86.0 innings pitched—a mark that ranks tied for ninth in Harding's single-season record books—Lane posted a .260 opponent batting average while striking out 69 batters to just 23 walks.
Known for his command, Lane ranked 81st nationally in walks allowed per nine innings (2.41) and 89th in the country with a 3.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio, helping anchor a 30-win season for the Bisons.
The defining moment of Lane's stellar senior campaign came on April 30 against Northwestern Oklahoma at the Great American Conference Tournament in Hot Springs, Arkansas. In a masterful performance, Lane tossed a career-high 9.0 innings, matching his career best with nine strikeouts while facing 35 batters to lead the Bisons to victory.
With the conclusion of his collegiate career, Lane etches his name deeply into the Harding record books. He finishes his time in Searcy ranked third all-time in games finished (37), seventh in saves (10), seventh in total appearances (64), and eighth in career lowest opponent batting average (.239). His 18 career victories place him tied for ninth in program history.
The NCBWA All-Central Region team is voted on by sports information directors representing the Great American Conference (GAC), the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Lane was one of the premier arms selected from the GAC field, following his First Team All-GAC selection earlier this month.
