Off to an up-and-down start, the Bisons got a big lift on Tuesday by defeating the 26th ranked Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions 4-3 and 5-4 to give them their first sweep of a nationally ranked team since November of 2012. Despite only scoring in two innings of the entire double header, the Bisons used timely hitting to pull out two of the biggest wins of the season.
After scoring four runs in the second inning and riding the solid pitching of junior Andrew Ralston to a win in game one, game two provided a much more dramatic finish for the Bisons.
Trailing 4-0 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the Bisons got a bunt single from senior Kyle Offenbacker who then scored on an infield single from senior Zac Stewart to get Harding on the board.
After junior Harrison Hunter reached on an error and scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-2, the Bisons loaded the bases for junior Alan Copeland who blasted a two-run double to tie the game at 4-4. The Lions intentionally walked senior Shane Kinnear to load the bases once again, and this time it was junior Jaxon Mohr who made them pay, driving home the game-winning run on a walk-off single to win it 5-4.
Freshman Reed Roberts, who got his first career start in game two, going five innings and allowing only one earned-run with three strikeouts, said that he was just trying to get outs against a very good offensive team. “I just wanted to go out there and do the best I could, work down in the zone and throw strikes,” Roberts said. “(Fort Smith) has been one of the better teams in the country this year and have been known for swinging the bat really well. It was a great sweep for us, especially going into our series this weekend.”
Copeland, who has come through in the clutch several times this year for the Bisons, said that playing well in wins like these can carry over into their next few games.
“We were just trying to play one game at a time and it worked out for us,” Copeland said. “Winning it in walk off fashion really boosts the momentum and gives everyone a little more energy. Hopefully we can keep it rolling.”
The Bisons look to keep their winning ways tomorrow and Sunday at home against East Central University. The first pitch of the Saturday double header is at noon, with the second game set to start around 3 p.m. at Jerry Moore Field.
