soggy season to hardballers Guarded optimism turned into disappointtnent for the Bisons baseball team in the 1979 season as rain and strong opponents took their toll. "All of our starters last year came back, except for one, " commented Coach Dick Johnson early in the year, "and we've probably got as much pitching depth as we've ever had. " The Bisons faired well early in the season against non-conference rivals as they split a doubleheader with the University of Missouri-Rolla and took both games of a doubleheader with Chicago State College. As the end of March approached, however, Mother Nature and day-oF-game events worked against Harding. After being rained out four times in one week, the baseballers had played oniy one conference opponent before the end of March. The doubleheader loss, 2-1 and 9-5, to Arkansas Tech left Harding with a 0-2 conference mark and a 4-4 season record. "Unfortunately," said Johnson, "the weather has hurt us more than the other schools in the AIC. We've not been able to playas much as we needed to, " Speaking further he said, "All the AIC games are tough. Nobody is a patsy in the AIC this year. Whoever plays the best on a given Saturday will win. " As the season continued, rain turned ou t to be the best on any given Saturday - or on any day of the week for that matter. By the last of April the Bisons had lost more games to rain than to AIC teams with 14 games going to the weather and 12 to other teams. Managing only two wins in the AIC, the Bisons baseball team showed their greatest talent against non-conference foes. Perhaps their best win was over Concordia College 1979 AlC BASEBAll RESULTS Harding 3 Ouachita Baptist University 3 Ouachita Baptist Un iversity 5 UA-Monticello 1 UA-Monticello 4 University of Central Arkansas 3 University of Central Arkansas Opponent 12 10 3 2 14 5 Harding o Henderson State University 1 Henderson State University 1 Southern Arkansas University 4 Southern Arkansas University o College of the Ozarks 1 College of the Ozarks of Moorehead, Minnesota. Outscoring Concordia 12-1, the Herd put together a solid team effort in addition to some exceptional individual performances. The Bisons' A11-AIC, AII-NAIA District · 17 catcher Mike Moody hit two homeruns and accounted for five runs batted in. Before Moody hit his first homer, however, Mark Kay hit a homerun in the first inning and Mike Claussen drove one run in on a double. Along with Moody. " outfielder Rick Katchur was named to the All-District team. Senior Doug Cowden received honorable mention on the squad. On the AIC North All-Stars team Moody . Katchur and Cowden were joined by David Stotelmyer and Steve Ashcraft. ~ 1. HARDING's Mike Claussen tries to slide to safety befo re being tagged out by tile University of Arkansas second basema,1. 2. BASEBALL TEAM. FRONT ROW: Ma rvin Hill , Co thren , Ashcraft , Sloan , Katchur, Hooker. SECOND ROW; Claussen . Kay , Moody , Wren , Mills, Gross, Me/vin Hill. BACK ROW: lohnsonCoach. Stroud, Stewart. Queen, Sides, Scott. Stote/meyer, Cowden. Wllite-Coach. Opponent 3 2 7 3 1 4 121 Baseball
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