BETHANY, Okla. — After dropping Game 1 of the series to Harding a day prior, the Storm (4-26, 1-17 GAC) shook off the loss with 6-3 victory in Game 2, but allowed the Bisons (17-11, 10-8 GAC) to come away with the 12-1 series finale win.
Game 1
The game had a slower start at the plate between both squads, but DJ Van Atten ended the stall as his solo blast over the left field fence gave SNU the 1-0 lead in the second.
SNU's heat in the early going ran cold in the next three innings. Harding put up three on the board in the 6th, starting with a solo homer of their own, followed by two singles to claim the 3-1 lead.
The Crimson Storm were feeling lucky, as EJ Taylor hit a bomb over to left field with Cole Embrey on base, tieing the game at three a piece.
Van Atten wasn't done yet, as he reclaimed SNU's lead once again with another solo homerun, earning his fifth on the year, propelling SNU to a 4-3 advantage.
Capping off the scoring that inning, Oliver Wilson's single to right center allowed Colby Entwistle and Hutch Underwood to make the trip home and the Storm secured a 6-3 lead with one final inning left.
Payne Maga found a rhythm early and kept it until the final inning as his mixed pitches troubled Harding in the 9th. Forcing two ground outs and a strikeout in Harding's last attempt at a comeback, he put the Bisons away, closing out Game 2 to award SNU their first conference win of the season with the 6-3 finish.
The freshman Van Atten brought the heat for SNU, responsible for two of their homeruns with his 2-3 finish and two RBI's. Taylor secured the third home run for the Storm, finishing 1-4, also with two RBI's.
Oliver Wilson had an impressive offensive appearance as he finished 3-4 with two RBI's. Brian Brown had a 2-4 finish and recorded the Storm's only double that game.
Maga got the start on the mound for SNU and pitched a complete game recording six strikeouts, only allowing three runs and seven hits. Maga also allowed only a single walk that contest.
Game 2
Harding shook off the sting from Game 1 and put up five runs in the first.
The Storm bats grew cold as Harding's continued to heat up, extending their lead to 9-0 as the Bisons put up a grand slam in the 4th.
Harding managed to tack on two more runs in the 5th, growing their lead to 11-0 with SNU struggling to gain some offensive momentum.
With one final offensive appearance, the Bisons pulled off one more run to end their scoring onslaught to make it a 12-0 game.
Erasing the scoring drought in the final half inning, Entwistled smoked one over to left field, earning SNU's first hit and run of the game.
The Storm wouldn't see much after that, reaching the third and final out, giving Harding the ultimate victory with a final 12-1 reading on the board.
SNU will head back on the road for more conference play as they take on Nortwhestern Oklahoma State in Alva, Oklahoma with a single game Friday April 1st at 6:00 p.m. followed by a douboeheader Saturday, April 2nd starting at 1:00 p.m.
