The baseball team finished the last of their five game run against Southern Arkansas University (SAU) last weekend on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28. They split a doubleheader against Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) on Tuesday, March 31, making them 8-7 in conference and 17-17 overall this season.
It was a challenge for the team over the weekend to face SAU, who is ranked near the top in the Great American Conference (GAC) rankings. The first two games were very close.
“We lost the first two games by one run there,” red-shirt junior catcher Davis Richardson said. “We really had an opportunity to win both of them, so that was frustrating, but we came back in game three and were able to get a really big led and win.”
SAU took the first game scoring their only run in the eighth inning. Harding lead the second game until the bottom of the seventh inning when SAU took the lead and won 4-3. Harding finished the weekend strong with a victory of 10-1 over SAU.
“We had some plays that we could have made things happen, on the mound and with our bat, but we can’t always win every battle,” red-shirt junior pitcher Hunter Payne said. “We came back and really put it on them in the third game, which is a big deal. Every game matters.”
During the third game of the series, red-shirt junior outfielder Harrison Hunter, broke a 16-year school record for reaching base in consecutive games. The previous record was 29 games and Hunter has reached 32.
“I didn’t ask around about what the record is or if I’m even close,” Hunter said. “I just kind of kept getting on base. I’m just focused on doing what’s best for the team. I’m in this thing to win. The streak is cool, but it’s definitely not what I’m thinking about.”
The Bisons split their games with OBU on Tuesday. They took the first game 7-4 but lost the second game 6-8 when OBU took a permanent lead in the second inning.
“I think this past week, especially SAU this past weekend, that was probably one of the toughest tests we had in the season,” Richardson said. “They’re a very good ball club … then we played (OBU), who’s in first place, on Tuesday. They’re the two best teams we’ve faced this season in our conference. So facing them … we know we can go toe-to-toe with them.”
The Bisons will face University of Arkansas at Monticello today at 3 p.m. followed by a doubleheader on Saturday at noon and 3 p.m. at home. Payne said he is more than ready for it.
“We get another chance at it this weekend against Monticello,” Payne said. “We’re looking forward to it.”
