RITTER
AND MITCHELL KEY IN 11-8 WIN
FLORENCE
-- Jeffery Ritter drove in the go-ahead run
in the bottom of the eighth inning and
freshman Tery Mitchell got his first
collegiate win on the mound as the
University of North Alabama completed a
three-game sweep of Harding at University
Field, 11-8.
UNA led 8-0
after breaking open what had been a
pitcher's duel with eight runs in the bottom
of the fourth inning. The lead didn't last
long, however, as Harding had a seven-run
fifth and the tied the game in the sixth.
The game
remained tied at 8-8 until the bottom of the
eighth when UNA's Qualon Millender singled,
was sacrificed to second by Matt Horton and
scored on a Ritter single to center to make
it 9-8. A double by Caleb Kidd scored Ritter
to make it 10-8 and Kidd then scored on a
single by Cole Mitchell.
Trey Mitchell,
who had entered the game in the fifth
inning, allowed just one run on three hits
over 4 1/3 innings to improve to 1-1.
Jeff Schafer
started for the Lions and cruised into the
fifth having allowed Harding just two hits,
and backed by an 8-0 lead. The Bisons
recorded five hits off him in the inning and
scored six runs. Jordan West came on in
relief but failed to record an out as he
allowed two hits and walked one batter.
Mitchell then
came in to get a fly-out to end the threat
in the fifth but allowed a game-tying run in
the sixth.
UNA out-hit
Harding 13-12 in the game behind a
four-for-four performance by Cole Mitchell.
Ritter, who is batting .536 for the season
with 33 runs batted in, was two-for-three
with two runs scored and three runs batted
in. He now has 11 multiple-hit games this
season in 15 Lion contests.
North Alabama
improved to 12-3 with the win, while Harding
falls to 11-8. The Bisons are now 0-5 on the
road after dropping all three games in
Florence.
The Lions, who
have played 14 of their first 15 games at
home, will play the next four on the road,
beginning Wednesday at Ouachita Baptist.
Printable Game
Statistics - Game 15 - Harding
