WEATHERFORD – SWOSU Baseball dropped a pair of tight games to Harding to close out the series, falling 4-3 and in extras of the series finale, 8-5.
The Bulldogs, now 15-11 and 7-8 in conference play, suffer a series sweep for the first time this season. They'll look to rebound in a home midweek contest against USAO before traveling to face Arkansas Tech next weekend.
Game One – Harding 4, SWOSU 3
In a game that saw a rain delay pause action for well over an hour, the Bulldogs eventually trailed 4-0 before scoring three runs late. Eric Foufoulas singled to lead off the seventh followed by a Ty Eastwood double. Both were eventually driven in to make it 4-2.
An inning later, Jackson Syring doubled to lead off the eighth and scored to cut the deficit to 4-3. However, for a second consecutive inning the Dawgs stranded a runner in scoring position.
Harding's closer put the game to bed with a three-up, three-down ninth.
The Bisons jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning with a two-run home run off starting pitcher Josh Fluet. They tacked on additional solo runs in the sixth and seventh to grow their lead. Fluet (L, 1-1) threw 4.0 innings before the rain delay paused action. Zane Leonard threw after the delay for three innings, followed by Philip Sanders and Tyler Fortin who threw one scoreless inning apiece.
SWOSU's offense managed just five hits. Harding finished with nine. Eastwood led the lineup with two hits including a double.
Game Two – Harding 8, SWOSU 5 (8 inn.)
The Bisons tied up the game in the seventh inning to force extras and won it in the eighth.
Tied 5-5 heading into bonus baseball, Harding took the lead on a first and third play to make it 6-5 and added additional room to breathe with a two-run home run shortly after.
The fifth inning saw both teams hold a lead. Harding plated three runs on three hits and took advantage of a pair of errors to grab a 4-3 lead. SWOSU then responded with two runs in the home half thanks to free base runners following a Jackson Syring hit by pitch and a Reece Burke walk. They led 5-4 after five.
Geoff Marlow hit a solo home run in the first inning and doubled in another run in the third. An error in the fourth inning gave the Dawgs another run.
Jackson Phillips threw 5.0 innings and got the no decision. Ernesto Hidrogo threw three innings of relief and was handed the loss.
SWOSU was on the wrong side of an extra innings affair for the second time in the series against the Bisons.
