Written by Stephanie Gregory
The Harding Bison baseball team enters 2010 coming off of back-to-back GSC postseason appearances for the first time in school history. Despite losing a few top sluggers from a team that hit over .300 collectively, the Bisons are projected to finish fourth in the Gulf South Conference West Division, which would once again send them to the conference tournament in Millington, Tenn.
Harding will have to get there using different methods than in 2009, however. The Bisons will look to an improved defense and a solid pitching staff to lift them through the season.
“This is the best defense I’ve put on the field,” head coach Patrick McGaha said.
The Harding infield will be anchored by All-America honorable mention third baseman Chase Presley along with Heath Boyd and Charles Bradley up the middle.
“Boyd and Bradley can put together a great double play,” McGaha said.
The ability to do so has come by no accident.
“Defensively, we have been working on communication with each other and making the routine plays as a fielder,” sophomore shortstop Heath Boyd said. “I’ve been taking extra ground balls and turning double plays with (Bradley).”
The improved defense will back up a pitching staff that boasts the Bisons’ other honorable mention All-America selection. Sophomore pitcher Kyle Cline will anchor the staff and be an important asset in the weekend conference series. Harding will have to turn to the rest of their staff to replace senior pitcher Brodie Brumley, who, although being named honorable mention All-American, will miss 2010 after surgery.
McGaha will look to a handful of transfers to fill voids such as those left by Brumley and Darby. Headlining those transfers are Jason and Patrick Nappi, brothers who transferred from division one schools. Jason Nappi is a senior catcher from Mississippi State who will fill the spot left by long time starter Ryan Moody. Patrick comes to Harding by way of the University of Alabama and will likely take Brumley’s spot in the rotation. Other transfers include outfielders Clay West and Adam Roberston.
Although Harding is projected fourth in their division of the Gulf South Conference, 2010 will prove to be anything but easy. The Bisons open their season in Texas visiting perennial powerhouse Abilene Christian University and will have to fight their way through perhaps the toughest conference in division two baseball.
“We’re really going to get a tester out of the gate,” McGaha said.
While the Abilene series will be good for the Bisons to gauge where they are, March will be the true test. That month holds what should be the three key series for Harding this season, two on the road against Southern Arkansas and Ouachita Baptist, and a home series against Delta State.
“This year we as a team know that anybody that we play we can beat,” Boyd said. “We need to win every series in conference play and play every game likes it’s our last.”
Like any good team, Harding knows that their home crowd will dictate much of their success.
“We love to have as much fan support as we can when we play the nice weather games out here,” McGaha said. “Our team has been working hard and would like the support.”
The Bisons will host their first home game Tuesday, Feb. 9, when they welcome the University of North Alabama for a double header.
