JACKSON, Tenn. -  The Union University softball team took two losses Wednesday afternoon against Harding University. Harding won the first game 3-1 and took the second game 11-1 in five innings. The Lady Bulldogs dropped to 9-15 overall and Harding improved to 20-6. 

In the first game, neither team scored until the third inning when Harding hit a RBI double. Union was able to answer in the bottom of the third with an RBI from Gabby Morris. A Harding home run in the sixth put the score at 2-1. Harding got an insurance run in the seventh to win 3-1. Union recorded five hits on the game, Sarah Smith and Peyton Mathis each led with two hits. Morris (6-6) took the loss for Union, pitching 4.0 innings and giving up two earned runs off of three hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Taylor Griffith started the ball game for the Lady Bulldogs and pitched 3.0 innings giving up one earned run off of five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. 

Harding controlled the second game by scoring a run in the first inning and then nine runs in the second inning. Union was able to get on the board in the third inning when an error by Harding's short stop allowed Sam McDaniel to score. Harding scored another run in the fourth to end the ball game, 11-1, in five innings. Four different players led Union with one hit each. Griffith started the ball game for the Lady Bulldogs tossing 1.1 innings giving up one hit and one earned run. Parker Davis came in for relief pitching .1 innings, giving up three hits and seven runs with three walks and one strikeout. Ashley Graves pitched the final 3.1 innings of the ball game giving up three hits, one earned run with two walks and two strikeouts. 

Up next for Union is a three game series against Valdosta State starting Saturday, March 24 at 1 p.m.

-UNION-