WEATHERFORD – John Spoto delivered the final swing of the game Friday, a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to lift SWOSU past Harding in the series opener.
 
The game-winner came moments after Kellen Frizzell, batting in a two-out pinch-hit situation, roped a double to tie the game. Trailing 3-2 entering their final at-bat, the Bulldogs strung together the decisive rally after Harding had reclaimed the lead with a run in the seventh.
 
Nolan McCrossin sparked the ninth with a leadoff single and was lifted for pinch runner Chris Clark, whose run represented the tying tally. Frizzell's clutch extra-base hit brought Clark home, and Spoto followed with the base knock that sent the Dawgs pouring out of the dugout.
 
With temperatures in the 40s and a steady wind blowing in, offense was hard to come by and every extra-base hit proved pivotal. Harding had doubled home the go-ahead run in the seventh before Frizzell's game-tying double flipped the momentum in the ninth. SWOSU finished with 10 hits to Harding's six.
 
The Bisons plated single runs in the third and fourth innings before SWOSU evened things in the sixth, capitalizing on two wild pitches to push across a pair of runs.
 
On the mound, Garrett Folmar provided a steady presence in long relief. Entering after Drew Fifer exited early due to injury, Folmar logged 5.2 strong innings to earn the win. He struck out five, walked two, and scattered three hits to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance.
 
Landon Meyer paced the offense with a perfect 4-for-4 performance, accounting for nearly half of SWOSU's hit total and scoring a run. Spoto finished 2-for-5 with a run scored and the game-winning RBI.
 
The victory moves SWOSU to 9-5 overall and back to 2-2 in GAC play. The two teams will return to the field Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at noon in Weatherford.