Four homeruns lead No. 17 Harding over Union

Harding Sports
Scott Goode, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information 

JACKSON, Tenn. – The 17th-ranked Harding softball team swept Union in nonconference action Wednesday. The Lady Bisons won 3-1 and 11-1 in five innings. Peyton Mills hit two home runs in game two.

Harding improves to 20-6 overall and Union falls to 9-15 overall..

Game One Key Innings (Harding 3, Union 1) 

– Harding scored its first run in the third when Briley Feringa hit a double to left field that scored Katlyn Gordon from second.

– Union tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Gabby Morris reached on a fielder’s choice with runners at first and third. Sarah Smith scored on the play.

– The Lady Bisons broke the tie in the sixth when Hannah Fisher hit a leadoff solo home run to left field. It was her first collegiate home run.

– Harding tacked on an insurance run in the seventh when Mason McCord hit a double down the left field line that scored Madison Leggett from second.

Game One Key Statistics 

– Harding had eight hits with Hannah Fisher leading the way with two.

– Union had five hits with Sarah Smith and Peyton Mathis each having two.

–  Katlyn Gordon had two stolen bases.

–  Amanda Berry got the win for the Lady Bisons and moves to 7-2 on the season. She pitched five innings, gave up one earned run and struck out three.

–  Emma Dwyer picked up the save, her second of the season. She pitched two innings and didn’t give up a hit against seven batters.

– Gabby Morris received the loss and falls to 6-6 for Union. She pitched four innings of relief and gave up two earned runs and struck out five.

Game Two Key Innings (Harding 11, Union 1 – 5 Innings)

–  Peyton Mills got things started for Harding in the first with a solo home run to right field. It was her sixth of the season.

– The Lady Bisons blew the game wide open in the second scoring nine runs on three hits and three Union errors. Katlyn Gordonhighlighted the inning with a three-run home run to left field. It was her second of the season. Peyton Mills, the next batter, hit a solo home run to center field for her seventh home run of the season. Kayla Anderson, Hannah Fisher and Kyndal Pirtle all picked up a RBI with each walking with the bases loaded.

– Union scored its run in the third when Haley Barnette reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Samantha McDaniel.

–  Hannah Fisher picked up her second RBI of the game when she singled in Madison Leggett from second in the fourth inning.

Game Two Key Statistics

– Harding had seven hits with Peyton Mills going 3-for-4. It was the first time in her career Mills has hit two home runs in a game.

–  Katie Carney and Madison Leggett each scored two runs for the Lady Bisons.

– Union had four hits by four different players.

– Each team had three errors in the game.

–  Emily Garrett got the win for Harding and improves to 6-2 on the season. She pitched the complete game, didn’t give up an earned run and struck out two.

– Taylor Griffith received the loss for Union.

Up Next 

– Harding will be back in action this Friday and Saturday when it hosts Southern Nazarene in Great American Conference action. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 2 p.m.