SEARCY, Ark. - The Hendrix College baseball team got their season off on the right foot, downing NCAA Division II affiliate Harding University 5-1 on Tuesday afternoon. The victory marks the Warriors' first win over a Division II team since the 2009 season when the squad beat Harding 15-7.
Five different Hendrix pitchers combined to baffle the Bisons (4-2), teaming for eight strikeouts while allowing just one unearned run.
Nick Land started on the mound, throwing four scoreless innings. Land struck out a game-high three hitters for the Warriors but took a no-decision.
Colten Poellinger earned the win, the second of his career, throwing two innings and allowing one unearned run while striking out a pair.
Baker Helton,
Cannon Schrank, and
Harley Faye each tossed one inning of scoreless relief to shut down the Harding bats.
Hendrix took the lead in the top of the fourth inning on a solo bomb off the bat of
Matt Simmons. His fourth career home run, put the Warriors in front. Harding responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Warriors manufactured a response in the top of the sixth to regain a 2-1 lead. In the top of the eighth, Hendrix extended their lead, capitalizing on a pair of defensive mistakes to take a 5-1 lead. Faye led off with a single followed by a double from
Spencer Summers and
Jake Wiegand walked to load the bases. Back-to-back throwing errors allowed two runs to score before
Drew Judson drove in another insurance run with a sacrifice fly.
Hendrix begins their season with a 1-0 record for the second time in three seasons and will return to action on Friday Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas where they take on Carleton College in the first of three games in the weekend slate.
Hendrix Notes-
Matt Simmons lifted his fourth career home run, moving into a tie for 20th in the Warriors all-time home run list.
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Spencer Summers went 4-for-5 with a double, leading the Warriors' 12-hit offensive effort.
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Harley Faye made his debut with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate and a shutdown inning of relief in the ninth.
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Ryan Ritz went 2-for-4 from the plate and swiped his 21st career stolen base
Harding Notes- The Bisons sent 10 different pitches to the mound. Grayson Ponder took the loss for Harding allowing one run on three hits.
- Harrison Hunter went 3-for-4 with a double and a stolen base to lead the Bisons offense.
- Harding's 10 hits marked their second-most in a single game this season, their most in a loss.
