Bradshaw gets win as Harding wins ninth-in-a-row

March 6, 2020

By SCOTT GOODE/HARDING SPORTS INFORMATION

SEARCY – Harding baseball scored in five consecutive innings Friday and defeated Southeastern Oklahoma 7-2 in game one of its three-game Great American Conference series at Jerry Moore Field.

The win was Harding’s ninth straight overall and fifth straight in the GAC and moved the Bisons to 16-5 overall and 7-3 in conference games. The Bisons moved into second place in the GAC standings, one game back of leader Oklahoma Baptist. Harding and Southeastern Oklahoma (10-10, 3-7) conclude the series with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.

Trailing 1-0 entering in the bottom of the fourth, Harding tied the game on a Connor Kelly single that scored Miles Humphreys.

Harding took the lead for good in the fifth on a Michael Chrisman RBI single that plated Brendan Perrett.

The Bisons took a 4-1 lead with two more in the sixth. The runs came on a Cody Smith sacrifice fly and Chris Witzke’s single that scored Kelly.

Kelly had another RBI single in the seventh to give the Bisons a 5-2 lead. In the eighth, Harding tacked on two more on three consecutive doubles from Owen Martin, Perrett and Chrisman.

Harding starter Andrew Bradshaw (4-2) allowed single runs in the second and sixth innings but worked out of trouble both times, stranding the bases loaded on both occasions.

Bradshaw struck out six and got eight groundball outs, throwing 90 pitches over six innings.

Ryder Yakel came on in the seventh and retired nine straight hitters, six by strikeout. He threw 27 of his 37 pitches for strikes and had 10 swings and misses.

Southeastern starter Jacob Potter (3-3), the reigning GAC Pitcher of the Week, lasted six innings and allowed four runs (two earned) with five strikeouts and took the loss.

Kelly led Harding, going 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. He leads the team with eight multi-hit games and seven multi-RBI games. Chrisman and Perrett had two hits each.

Harding had 12 hits, the sixth time in the last seven games the Bisons had 10 or more.

Bradshaw earns conference honors for Saturday win

February 10, 2020

By GAC SPORTS INFORMATION

RUSSELLVILLE – The Great American Conference announced the league’s Baseball honors for the second week of the 2020 season. Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Colton Buckner earned the Player award while Harding’s Andrew Bradshaw and Southern Arkansas’ Zach Smith shared the Pitching accolade.

GAC BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Colton Buckner, Southeastern Oklahoma State, LF/1B, Sr., Garland, Texas

Buckner reached base 15 times in his 16 trips to the plate the Savage Storm’s four-game series with Northeastern State. He registered three multi-hit games against the RiverHawks and walked eight times. He hit a home run in the opener and doubled in his only official at bat in game three. He scored three runs and drove in three.

Andrew Bradshaw

GAC BASEBALL CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Andrew Bradshaw, Harding, SP, Jr., Heber Springs

Bradshaw picked up his first win with the Bisons after he recorded a three-hit shutout against Southwest Baptist on Saturday. He struck out four and walked just one. He required only 98 pitches in the 4-0 victory and allowed only one Bearcat to advance into scoring position.

GAC BASEBALL CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Zach Smith, Southern Arkansas, SP, Sr., Katy, Texas

Smith worked 8.0 scoreless innings against Missouri Western to capture his second win in as many starts. He held the Griffons the four hits, three singles. He stuck out seven against three walks. In two starts, spanning 15.0 innings, he has registered 17 strikeouts and surrendered only six hits. The Muleriders have started 8-0 for the first time since 1986.

OTHERS NOMINATED

Kaimana Bartolome, INF (Oklahoma Baptist), David Butterfield, 3B (Harding), Audy Clary, INF (Arkansas-Monticello), Bryce Donovan, C (Northwestern Oklahoma State), Clay Lockett, INF (Southern Nazarene), Brett McGee, C (Southern Arkansas), Stormy Taylor, OF (Arkansas Tech)

Colby Carlson, SP (Northwestern Oklahoma State), Ryan Collins, SP (East Central), Livan Cordova, SP (Arkansas-Monticello), Jake Lipetzky, SP (Oklahoma Baptist), Jacob Potter, SP (Southeastern Oklahoma State)