Harding hits six bombs to advance to NCAA Central Regional Final

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Logan Lacey and Cooper Newsom each had three hits, and Coulton Doyle and Newsom both hit two home runs as No. 8 Harding defeated No. 5 Arkansas Tech 14-5 in an NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament game Saturday at Crane Stadium.

The win advances Harding (41-18) to the tournament finals against No. 1 Central Missouri on Saturday at 6 p.m. If Harding wins that game, Harding and Central Missouri will play again Sunday at noon. Arkansas Tech’s season ended with a 32-23 record.

Harding hit six home runs in the game, including Doyle’s 40th career home run, which gave the Bisons a 3-1 lead in the second inning. Newsom’s first home run in the third inning gave Harding a 6-3 lead, and Lacey’s solo shot in the fourth extended the lead to 7-3.

Newsom finished the game 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI, while Lacey went 3-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Doyle was 2-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI, and Chance Resetich added a double and an RBI. Ty Kirkbride had two RBI.

Preston Tabor pitched 7.0 innings for Harding, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Keaton Baird pitched the final two innings in relief, allowing no runs on two hits.

The Bisons scored six runs in the seventh inning, including back-to-back home runs from Doyle and Nathan Bowie. Harding finished the game with 75 home runs, a new school record.