SEARCY, Ark. – Stepping into their last regular season series of 2024, Southern Nazarene needed just one game over the Harding Bisons to clinch the second seed in the GAC Championships. The Storm (36-15, 25-8 GAC) out performed the Bisons (33-17, 22-11 GAC) in the first two games of the series, not only grabbing the series win, but the second seed placing them behind Oklahoma Baptist. 

Game 1 

Emma Swearingen got the Storm off to a strong start as her single up the middle in the opening inning was able to plate Kenedi Morelock for the 1-0 lead. 

Worthington got the starting nod inside the circle and kept the Bisons at bay as she delivered two scoreless frames. Morelock helped SNU reach a 3-0 gap after her single through the left side, sending Emma Green and Maddie Riley across home. 

Harding finally used their home field advantage and blasted a solo bomb to left field that helped cut the gap to just two runs. Swearingen's fire grew in the fourth as she launched a three-run homer that scored Liana Heshiki and Kristen Mullendore, bumping SNU to a 6-1 lead. 

Worthington held the Bisons to just their single run after another scoreless inning, leaving more opportunities for the Storm to grow their gap. Harding challenged SNU's lead in the fifth inning with a hit by pitch and two fly-outs, gaining run to make it a two-run ballgame. 

A Mullendore single in the top of sixth gave the Storm some insurance as Morelock was able to cross home, moving the Storm back up ahead three runs heading into the final inning. 

After a scoreless frame in the seventh, Southern Nazarene's defense stepped up big to turn away the potential comeback from Harding. The Bisons were only able to crack out a single to put one on base, but reached a quick three outs to award Southern Nazarene the final 7-4 victory and a for-sure second seed in the in GAC Tournament. 

Game 2 

Both teams battled through two scoreless innings before the Storm plated their first run after Hailey Evans reached on a throwing error by the Bisons, scoring Mikayla Franks in the process. 

Harding doubled their score in the bottom of the third from a single up the middle that scored two, leaving the Storm to trail heading into inning number four. 

Both defenses made it another scoreless inning, but Harding caught another burst in the fifth with an RBI fly-out, quickly gaining the two-run lead. Southern Nazarene felt the pressure and was unphased, exploding for a three-run sixth inning thanks to a Sundbye single and Mikayla Franks reaching on a Bisons error, giving them the go-ahead run after the side was retired. 

The Bisons made things interesting in the bottom half of the inning as a single to left center earned them the tying run at 4-4. Worthington stepped in to relieve Olivia Hernandez and forced the final out of the inning to allow SNU one more chance to take back the lead. 

After a hit-by-pitch and a fielder's choice, Mullendore also reached on a throwing error by Harding, pushing Swearingen home for the go-ahead run at 5-4. That was all the scoring for SNU in the seventh and it was left to the defense to finish off the home team. 

Worthington and the SNU fielding crew put a wall up against the Bisons offense, collecting back-to-back fly outs and a ground out to serve Harding their losing fate of a final 5-4 victory for the 2-0 series record. 

Game 3

Harding was able to bounce back in the final game as they edged the Storm by two runs with two explosive opening innings. 

A Hailey Evan's double in the opening inning allowed SNU to jump ahead early as Emma Green crossed home. Harding countered in the bottom half of the inning as an SNU throwing error and a single gave them two runs for the 2-1 advantage. '

Two quick outs in the second inning made it challenging for the Storm to find an edge. Singles from Morelock and Green put two runners aboard, but a ground ball retired the side and left them stranded with Harding up to bat. 

A Bisons double and a wild pitch brought home two runners and Harding quickly controlled a 4-1 lead with only one out in the second inning. Maddie Southerland relieved Katelyn Woodard to help close the frame and she left Harding with two ground outs to move into the third inning. 

The Storm bats saw a few singles in the third, but the Bisons defense challenged their comeback by forcing back-to-back outs to reclaim their turn at the plate. The SNU fielding crew stepped up big to halt Harding at seeing any runs in the fourth as they delivered a quick three up and three down third inning.

Harding's lead was cut to two runs in the fourth as Evan's cracked out a singled that plated Maddie Riley. The Storm defense stepped up big again in the bottom half of the inning to ward off another Harding run, keeping the two-run gap alive. 

Southern Nazarene put two on base in the fifth and Macy Stewart awarded them another run from her right field single. Harding managed to end their scoring spree early to move into the bottom half of the fifth, where they gained back the two-run advantage on a sac fly that plated one baserunner. 

That ended the scoring for either side as the ballgame became a defensive standoff. A Morelock single and a Green walk allowed the Storm to keep the offensive going, but a double play let Harding escape the Storm comeback while securing the two-run lead. 

The seventh inning mirrored the sixth with SNU searching for an offensive burst to stun the Bisons. Unfortunately for SNU, three quick outs after Sundbye's double and a fielding error was all it took to claim the final 5-3 victory. 

Up Next

That marks the end of an incredible regular season run for the Storm who finished with their highest overall win total since joining Division II (36 wins). SNU will now gear up for the GAC Championships May 2 - May 4 in Bentonville, Arkansas as the second seed. The Storm are set to play Friday, May 3rd as they await the winner of Game #4, which will either be (3) Harding or the winner of (6) Southeastern Oklahoma State or (7) Arkansas - Monticello.