11 May 2022 Doyle sends Harding to victory

HOT SPRINGS — Harding junior Coulton Doyle hit a two-run home run at 1:16 a.m. Monday morning to keep the Bisons’ season alive. The game started Sunday at 9:45 p.m.

Doyle’s homer came in 11th inning of Harding’s elimination game with Arkansas-Monticello at the Great American Conference Tournament. With the win, Harding (32-18) advanced to meet Ouachita Baptist in another elimination game on Monday.

With the game tied at 2-2, Cody Smith singled to center with two outs. On a 1-0 pitch, Doyle launched his 12th home run of the season over the left-field wall. It was his first home run since March 29 vs. Christian Brothers.

Joel Barker started and pitched 10.0 innings, allowing only eight hits and two earned runs with a season-high eight strikeouts.

Maddox Long (5-5) pitched the top of the 11th inning to earn the win.

Harding took a 1-0 lead bottom of the fourth. Brendan Perrett hit a leadoff single and went to second on a wild pitch. Owen Martin lined a 3-2 pitch to center to score Perrett.

A two-run pinch-hit double in the top of the ninth gave Arkansas-Monticello a 2-1 lead.

The Bisons tied it in the bottom of the ninth. Chris Witzke drove in Martin with a bases-loaded ground out.

Smith had three of Harding’s eight hits, his ninth three-hit game of the season.