Alva Review-Courier -

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Harding baseball had the perfect response to being shutout on five hits in a 4-0 loss in game one of its Great American Conference doubleheader at Ouachita Baptist Monday. The Bisons came out and sent baseballs flying all over the yard in game two, winning 13-2 and taking the series two-games-to-one. Harding had a season-high six doubles in the second game, the most two-baggers since doubling seven times against Southeastern Oklahoma in 2016.

With the split, Harding moved to 26-16 overall and 16-11 in GAC games. The Bisons are in fourth place in the GAC standings, 2.5 games back of Southern Arkansas for third. Henderson State, Harding's opponent in this weekend's conference series, is fifth, 1.5 games behind the Bisons.

Ouachita moved to 17-23 overall and 11-16 and ninth in conference.

Game 1

Ouachita Baptist senior right-hander Adam Bahloul (2-4) pitched a complete game shutout, striking out six to earn his second victory of the season.

Cody Smith led Harding with two hits, including his second double of the season, but the Bisons did not have a runner reach third base safely.

Ouachita scored single runs in the third and fifth innings and two more in the sixth against Harding starter Logan McCall (1-5). Zack Bilek pitched three scoreless innings of relief to close out the game.

Game 2

Harding quickly took the lead for good in game two. Brendan Perrett had an RBI single, and Nolan Fertig laced a two-run double to right to give the Bisons a 3-0 lead in the second inning.

Back-to-back doubles from Luke Van Dover and Connor Kelly plated another run in the third, and Harding made it 5-0 when Kelly stole home on the back end of a double steal.

Harding put the game away with five more runs in the fifth. Fertig had another two-run double. Van Dover had a run-scoring single to bring home Fertig. Kelly scored Van Dover with a single, and David Butterfield drove in Kelly with another double to give Harding a 10-0 lead.

Ouachita scored two runs in the sixth, but Harding took advantage of three Tiger errors in the seventh to score three more runs.

Ty Hoecker (5-1) pitched his third complete game to earn the win. He struck out four and walked only one.

Ouachita starter Bo Sutton (3-4) left after two innings and took the loss.

Harding had 15 hits in game two, the fourth time in the last eight games the Bisons had 15 hits or more. Harding's 13 runs matched a season high. Van Dover and Kelly both scored three times.

Harding returns to action Tuesday in Searcy, taking on Christian Brothers in a nonconference matchup. The Bisons defeated the Bucs 2-1 on March 26 at USA Stadium in Millington, Tennessee.