SEARCY, Ark. – SWOSU softball opened up their road Great American Conference series against Harding with a Saturday doubleheader. They dropped both games, 7-1 and 6-4.
 
The Bulldogs' record moves to 9-15 and 6-7 in the conference slate. They will play one more in Searcy, tomorrow beginning at 1:00 pm.
 
Game One – Harding 7, SWOSU 1
 
Harding led from the jump in the opening game of the series. They scored two runs in the first inning and added single runs in the fourth and fifth before three more in the sixth put the game out of reach.
 
The Dawgs managed four hits in the game including Rebeca Fajardo's fifth inning home run, SWOSU's lone run of the ball game. 
 
Courtney Hill suffered the loss in the circle. She threw 5.0 innings before being relieved by Lauren Bratcher in the sixth. Harding finished with 13 hits in the game but had just one extra-base hit.
 
Game Two – Harding 6, SWOSU 4
 
In game two of the day, SWOSU got in front off the rip. Three base hits, including a double from Dani Carmo, scored two runs for the Dawgs in the first half inning of the game.
 
The Lady Bisons responded in the third with a single that brought home a run of their own to trim the lead down to one, but SWOSU matched that run in the fourth. Two Harding errors allowed a runner on and scored Rebeca Fajardo for a 3-1 Bulldog lead that lasted until the fifth inning.
 
After retiring the side in order, Harding shelled SWOSU for four runs, six base hits, and two extra-base hits. This explosion gave HU their first lead of the game, one they never relinquished for the remainder of the outing.
 
One run was put up on either side of the scoreboard in the sixth to send the game to the top of the seventh, where SWOSU failed to reach a base and ended the game.
 
Jadyn Hook and Katie Boline both batted 2-4 and scored a run for SWOSU. Shallen Mershon, Dani Carmo, and Chesnie Hewitt all batted in a run.
 
Blaire Gentry went the entire six innings and received the loss for the Bulldogs.