to one loss . Harding split doubleheaders with two NCAA Division I schools University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Arkansas State University before returning to conference play. The Bisons played the tough University of Central Arkansas Bears in Conway. Both teams did well at the plate. The Bisons scored 17 runs in the two games while slugging 21 hits . Harding lost the opener to UCA 9-4 but won 13-7 in the nightcap to stay in first place in the AIC with a 6-2 mark. Harding swept two from College of the Ozarks 1-0 and 14-1. They next faced UCA in a nonwconference game and lost both games 8-7 and 1-0. Then they played Southern Arkansas University . The Bisons split the double-header with the Muleriders winning 4-2 before dropping the "Everybody on the team contributed from the first man in the line-up to the last man on the bench_ " Scott Finley_ nightcap 13-4. Pilkington earned the win improving his record to 5-1. He gave up only four hits and one run . Billy Tucker gave Harding the win in the first game wIth a two-run homer . The split left the Bisons just percentage pOints behind the Muleriders in the race for the conference crown , SAU had a 7-2 mark and Harding was 9-3 in conference plav. The Bisons next faced ASU and were beaten 14-1 and 8-3 but it was not a conference game . In another nonwconference game, Harding beat UALR in a scheduled nine inning game. In the last conference doubleheader of the season for the Bisons , Harding needed to win both games from Arkansas Tech University in order to capture the conw ference title . If the Bisons split the twinbill and if the Wonder Boys beat UCA Bears the two teams would share the crown. The Bisons had not won a baseball championship since 1938, and remember this was the team picked to finish sixth. They won both games from Tech making history, first baseball title for Harding in 46 years. The Bisons came from behind in both games to win, 6-5 and 11-8. The motto, "Win More in '84." came true for the baseball team. "The kids just kept coming back, they're a bunch of fighters," said Coach Johnson on the way his team played through the year. In the NAIA District 17 first round Harding was ripped 9-1 by ATU. The game was rained out several times before the site of the tournament was moved from Searcy to Arkadelphia. The Bisons next faced Henderson State losers to College of the Ozarks in round one. Harding was elimi w nated by losing 12-2 to the Reddies. There were many on the AIC championship team that received awards. Coach Dick Johnson was named AIC "Coach of the Year" as well as NAIA District 17 "Coach of the Year." Ninemire, Pilkington , and Hindman received AII-AIC baseball team honors. Ninemire was also named to the All District 17 baseball team and was awarded the M.E. Berryhill award. Team awards went to James Mayes - spirit award, Billy Tucker - Golden Gloves Fielding Award and Most Valuable Player and Batting champion - Ninemire. The championship can be attributed to every player's determination and hard work. & Check Swing. Marty Ninemire tries to hold-up in his swing against a Tech pitcher. - photo by Public Relations Ojjice. 1984 AIC BASEBALL RESULTS HARDING UNIVERSITY College of the Ozarks Arkansas Tech University Henderson State University 12-2 9-5 9-5 9-5 University of Central Arkansas 9-5 Ouachita Baptist University 4-10 University of Arkansas-Monticello 2-12 Southern Arkansas University 2-12 "ALL I WANT TO DO IS IMPROVE" Steve Pilkington of Heber Springs and some other returning lettermen prOVided an experienced nucleus of talent for the H.U. baseball team, according to head coach Dick Johnson. "We've had some good workouts and we're more than optimistic about the season." Optimism concerning the season was not the determining factor for the Bisons , Steve Pilkington was a major element going for the team. The talented left-hander fought obstacles on his way to the college ranks. Without benefit of high school baseball, Pilkington was overlooked by major colleges when he graduated from Heber Springs High School. A former student for the Heber Springs American Legion team, Pilkington starred both on the mound and at the plate. A hard-throwing 212 pounder, Pilkington set his own record saving three games for the season. The final record was set when Pilkington made his sixth victory in the first game of the AIC Championship. He also had a tworun homer in the second game to lead the Bisons to a doub le-header sweep and the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference Championship. Pilkington, a top pitcher during the regular season in the league, fanned six, walked four and had his sixth complete game in 9 starts. Overall, he has hurled 56 innings, allowed 40 hits , struck-out 65 and walked 17 . He was 6-1 for the season, all in conference play and an excellently earned run average of 2.11. "I'm satisfied with my progress ," Pilkington said. "I've worked on improving my. curve,~ changing speeds and mixing up my pItches .. Steve then said, "Alii want to do each year IS improve ." 11J.~ _ David Asbill Baseball 157
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