aS8 New leadership changes team·philosophy, dynamic The baseball team underwent a change in management in the spring of 2006 when the Bisons competed under the direction of new head coach, Dr. Patrick McGaha. McGaha accepted the position of head baseball coach after the resignation ofCoach Sbane Fullerton, who became the assistant coach for the Lady Bisons basketball team. "I was excited to be back at Harding and coaching where I played college ball," McGaha said. "It was great to inherit the program from [Fullerton] and build on what he had done." McGaha, a Searcy native, attended Harding Academy and graduated from H arding University in 1991 wi th a bachelor's degree in physical education. He played baseball during his col1ege yea rs and lettered four seasons as an infielder. 1n 1993, he earned his maste r's degree in education from Harding and earned his doctorate in physical educadon in 2000 from Florida State University. McGaha spent one year at Pepperdine University before coacbing bigh school baseball for five years at Central Arkansas Christian and four years at the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Mo. During his last season there, McGaha coached his team to 37 victories and a championship in the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference tournamem. McGaha said his first season as bead coach was a bit of a struggle for him because of injuries [hat occurred during (he season and because his SCORECARD Ozarks (Ark.)' ••••••• • •••••••••••••. • W 11·7 Evangel' ••.•...•••••..••••••... W 9-3 ,W 8-7 Arkansas-Monticello' ••••.••••...•••..•• L4-16 Lyon' ••••.••..••••.•••..•••...• L 2-4,W 4-3 St. Edward's' ••• • •••• .••••••••W 7-5, L I-6, L 0-4 Missouri Western' •••.•..••.•.••..•. L 3-7, L 1-3 Crichton' ••.•••••••••••••••••• W 10-2,W 7-6 Henderson State' ••••.•••••.• L 0-10, L 2-1 I, L 2-6 Central Arkansas' •• ••• •• •• ••• L 2-16, L 4-5,W 2-1 MidAmerica Nazarene' ••• •••••• .•••• ••••• L 7-8 Ozarks (Mo.)' ..•.•..• 'W 4-0,W 3-2, L 7-13 , L 0-4 Crichton ' . . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • W 7-6 Southern Arkansas' ..••••.... L 0-10,W 7-4, L 7- 12 Williams Baptist· ••.••.••.••.••.• W 17-3,W 5-2 Delta State ••• •••• • • • ••••••• L 1-8, L 3-5, L 3-13 Central Baptist· .•.•.••.•••••••.••W 6-3,W 7-1 Christian Brothers ' •••• ••••••• ' W 2-1 , L 0-2, L 6-9 Lyon' • . • • • . . • • . . • • . • • • . • • . . •. L 5-18,W I 1-8 Arkansas-Monticello ' •••••••••W 7-2, L I- I I, L 1-8 Central Arkansas ....•...••...••..•••..• L 5-6 Ouachita Baptist· •••••••..•••• L 9-10, L 1-4, L 1-7 Arkansas Tech • •• ••••.•••.•••.•••. W 3-1 ,W 2-1 coaching philosophies were different from the previous coaching his players had received. "One philosophy was to focus on puuing pressure on the defense and making the pitcher uncomfortable," McGaha said. "The team likes to run and play small ball, which forced the defense to have to make plays." Sophomore Ryan Moody said McGaha's coaching techniques made him become a more consistem player and taught him how to work beuer with his teammates. ~ "He inspires unity between the players," Moody said. "He coaches us in a way that makes liS become better team players so we don't concemrate only on our individual playing." During McGaha's first season of coaching, the team set a new school record wi th 89 stolen bases and led the Bisons to a 21-28 overall record and a 6-17 mark in GulfSomh Conference West Division play. McGaha said the most chaJlenging part of rhe 2007 season would be getting everyone to work togethe r. He expected there to be more depth in pitching and improvements in the players' hitting strength. "I am ready to see what will happen for this season with the new recruirs," McGaha said. "Several of them proved tbey could hit at the junior college level, so we will see what they can do bere." ·Krystle Boise
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