SEARCY, Ark. – SWOSU Softball battled Harding to a 2-0 final score in the series opener on Friday before falling 9-1 to the Lady Bisons in the nightcap, ending the day winless in Searcy.
 
The series concludes tomorrow at noon with the third and final game of the series.
 
Game One – 2-0
 
The series opener was a defensive battle where the two teams combined for just nine hits and no errors. It was Harding's two runs in the third inning that proved to be the difference maker.
 
Alisa Friesen got the start in the circle and pitcher her 11th complete game of the season. She scattered five hits and struck out one, while walking one.
 
Harding got to Friesen in the third with a solo home run with one out, and a two-out RBI single that scored another.
 
SWOSU's offense collected four hits but never managed to get a runner on second base. Jewell Lee finished 2-3.
 
Game Two – 9-1 (5 inn.)
 
Small ball got the Dawgs ahead 1-0 early in game two. Lee singled to leadoff the game, followed by a Maddie Rahon sacrifice bunt to move Lee over and a Dani Carmo RBI single that scored her.
 
It would be Harding the rest of the way though, as they went on to take the lead in the second inning and extend the margin with four more runs in the third and two in the fifth that enacted the eight-run rule.
 
Harding outhit SWOSU 13-4 in game two. Lee again finished 2-3 in the leadoff spot.
 
Brianna Cryer pitched 1.1 innings and allowed three runs on four hits and one strikeout. Kaylee Barkley pitched 3.0 innings in relief.