The Lady Bisons softball team won 3-1 in a Great American Conference (GAC) series last weekend, April 22-23, against Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU). After game two of Friday’s doubleheader was suspended due to darkness, Harding played three straight games Saturday to close the series.
The Lady Bisons defeated SWOSU 9-1 on Friday in five innings. Friday’s second game was suspended during the fifth inning. On Saturday, SWOSU won Friday’s suspended game 8-5, but the Lady Bisons responded by sweeping the last doubleheader 5-3 and 7-2.
After winning the weekend series against SWOSU, Harding improved to 26-18 in the GAC and 34-22 overall.
“We were able to solidify the No. 4 seed into the conference tournament, which was a major accomplishment,” head coach Phil Berry said after the series.
After the last game on Saturday, the Lady Bisons honored senior infielder Kinsey Beck and senior catcher Maegan Hall for their time spent playing softball for Harding.
“Eventually some doors close and that allows others to open,” Beck said. “The team is like my second family; I’m with them more than my own family.”
Beck led the Lady Bisons during the first game of the weekend series against SWOSU with four RBIs and a scored run, which marked the sixth time this season she has scored multiple RBIs.
“Beck has been a leader and had her best year this year offensively and defensively,” Berry said. “She’s been a great leader in the locker room and on the field to help us achieve the success we’ve had this season.”
Hall said Saturday’s game was both special and difficult.
“It’s bittersweet,” Hall said. “The girls on the team have made this experience worth it all. Getting to share experiences with the girls on the team makes such an incredible bond, and that is what I think I’ll miss the most.”
Hall said getting to catch during Saturday’s games in front of her family and friends was especially rewarding.
“Hall has been a tremendous student athlete and represented Harding well,” Berry said. “Catchers do a lot of dirty work they don’t get thanked for often enough, and she has done it every day for three years.”
The Lady Bisons are now preparing for the start of the GAC tournament. According to Beck, the team is solely trying to focus on strengthening its skills one step at a time.
“The end results that we want can’t happen unless we take every pitch and play as it comes and commit to that process,” Beck said.
The Lady Bisons played their first GAC tournament game against the University of Arkansas at Monticello yesterdat at 4 p.m. in Bentonville, Arkansas. Stats were unavailable at press time.
