SEARCY, Ark. – Winona State (52-13) was able to beat #2 Harding 3-2 and pushed the Harding Regional to a seventh, winner-take-all game. In the second meeting of the day between the two teams, Harding (57-7) won by a score of 4-3 to advance to the Central Super Regional against Minnesota State, Mankato. The 52 wins is the most in program history.
 
GAME ONE
Warriors Earn Come Back Win
 
After a no-hit first inning, the Warriors' Shaye Witte had the game's first hit with a single to short. Winona State would strand her at second before Harding came to the plate. The Lady Bison picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, grabbing a 2-0 lead.
 
Samantha McLean walked and Katelyn Kolb reached via an error with one out to put WSU in business in inning number three. After a fly out Lani Van Zyl tied the game with a triple to right field, driving in both McLean and Kolb.
 
A hitless fourth inning followed and the game moved to the fifth inning tied at two. The Warriors threatened in the fifth putting runners on first and third with two out. Unfortunately, the Warriors could not score and the game remained 2-2. The Bison also threatened in the fifth, putting the first two batters on base to start the inning. After a sac bunt moved the runners to second and third a double play lineout to Larsen in the circle ended the inning, keeping the game tied at two.
 
Alison Nowak and Witte each singled with one out as the Warriors threatened once again, this time in the sixth inning. The singles forced a pitching change for Harding. The new pitcher struck out the final two batters of the inning to keep WSU from taking the lead. Harding also threatened for the second straight inning and again a WSU double play was key in stopping the Bison from taking the lead.
 
The seventh started with McLean getting hit by a pitch. McLean would move to second following a sac bunt by Kolb. With Larsen at the plate McLean moved up to third on a wild pitch. Larsen came through hitting a ball to deep right center, driving in McLean with a sac fly and putting WSU up 3-2. Three straight ground outs by Harding in the seventh secured the win for the Warriors.
 
McKenna Larsen three 113 pitches, allowed three hits and two earned runs in the complete game win. Witte had two hits and Van Zyl finished with two RBIs.
 
GAME TWO
Tough Loss Ends Warriors Season
 
Winona State put their first five batters of the game on base, taking a 2-0 lead in the process. Kolb, Larsen and Van Zyl all singled before Mariah Schultz was hit, allowing Kolb to score. Nowak would draw a seven pitch walk and Larsen touched home, making it 2-0. Harding showed why they are ranked second in the nation, answering back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning.
 
The Warriors loaded the bases with two outs in the in the top of the second but could not grab the lead. Harding took advantage of their chance in the bottom of the second, scoring a run with a one out single to center field. After a walk, Jordyn Kleman would come in to relieve Larsen. A passed ball allowed the Harding runners to move up to second and third. Kleman would get out of the inning after a ground ball to first base.
 
Both teams went down in order in the third as the game moved to the fourth with Harding holding a 3-2 lead. Larsen reached on a two out error in the top of the fourth but that was as close as either team got to scoring a run in the fourth inning.
 
Schultz was hit for the second time in the game and 30^th time all year to lead off the fifth. Schultz finishes the year with 12 more hit-by-pitches than anyone in school history. McKenna Gutt came in to run for Schultz and would come around to score after Harding committed a couple errors following a bunt by Witte, tying the game at three.
 
Winona State thought they had taken a lead in the sixth when Schultz drove a ball down the line in left, driving in Van Zyl. The ball was called foul and the game went to the bottom of the sixth tied at three. Harding put a pair of runners on with two outs in the bottom of the inning, looking to take a lead into the final inning of play. Another walk loaded the bases for Harding before Kleman stuck out a batter to keep the game tied.
 
The Bison put the first two runners of the inning on in the seventh, needing just a run to win the game and advance to the Central Super Regional. Harding's attempt to move the runners up a base with a bunt was unsuccessful thanks to a nice play by Jamee Schleis, throwing the lead runner out at third. The runners would move up on a ground out to second, the second out of the inning. The Bison's winning run would come home two pitches later as a wild pitch allowed the winning run to score.