Harding Fall Report: Bisons Reload After Historic Title Run

The 2025 season will forever be etched in the history books for the Harding Bisons. Under the guidance of Head Coach Patrick McGaha, now entering his 21st season with a career record of 583-431, the program secured its first-ever Great American Conference (GAC) Tournament title. With that win, McGaha recorded his 700th career win as a head coach. The Bisons finished with a stellar 41-19 record, marking the most wins in a single season since joining the GAC and the second-most in program history, trailing only the 42 wins from their final Gulf South campaign in 2011. This success culminated in a Central Regional appearance, their second consecutive trip to the postseason, and extended their streak of 30+ win seasons to four.

The season nearly continued, as Harding had multiple opportunities to defeat national runner-up Central Missouri in the first game of the regional, ultimately losing in extra innings and then losing in the Regional Championship to the Mules once again. "I was proud of that team, the leadership and the camaraderie was one of the best in my 20 years of coaching here", said Coach McGaha.

Despite the graduation of key arms, the mood at Jerry Moore Field is optimistic. Coach McGaha noted that the weather allowed for a productive fall where the team, which returns 50.1% of its total production, focused on gelling a roster infused with 20 new players. With a core of veteran hitters returning and what McGaha calls potentially the "best Freshman class ever," the Bisons feel they can improve upon last year's historic run.

The Offense

The Bisons bring back a formidable lineup, retaining 55.7% of their offensive production from a year ago. The lineup is anchored by senior third baseman Logan Lacey, a First Team All-GAC selection who provides elite power in the middle of the order. In 216 ABs, Lacey hit .338 with 12 doubles, 19 home runs, and 58 RBI, posting an OPS of 1.147. His 19 home runs ranked second in the conference, while his OPS ranked third, making him one of the most feared bats in the region and defenders, as he was on the all-GAC Defensive Team.

Setting the table for Lacey is senior leadoff hitter Nathan Bowie, who returns to the outfield after a strong 2025 campaign. In 234 ABs, Bowie hit .338 with 8 doubles, 7 home runs, and 53 RBI, showcasing his ability to both get on base and drive in runs. Behind the plate, senior catcher Collin Helms offers a steadying presence. In 211 ABs, Helms hit .322 with 7 home runs and 43 RBI, providing consistent contact and veteran leadership for the staff.

The middle infield looks solid with seniors Cooper Newsom and junior Ty Kirkbride. Newsom, the shortstop known for delivering big hits, hit .295 in 220 ABs with 8 home runs and 51 RBI. Kirkbride, playing second base, showed improved plate discipline and gap-to-gap power during the fall, looking to build on a season where he hit .286 in 182 ABs.

McGaha has bolstered this core with significant transfer talent and promising freshmen.

Junior transfer Phoenix West arrives from Scottsdale CC, where he hit .317 with 10 doubles; he is an above-average defender capable of playing both corner infield and outfield spots. Another junior college transfer, Ryder Rutledge from Temple College, hit .305 with 10 doubles and 11 stolen bases last season and brings good defensive skills to the outfield. Behind the dish, junior transfer Dom Davis controls the running game well and slashed .368/.484/.592 with 7 home runs at Rend Lake CC. Among the freshmen, Easton Jones has a chance to be the everyday center fielder, while Brayden Mineo impressed the staff by swinging the bat well with pop from the left side.

The Pitching Staff

The pitching staff faces a retooling effort, returning 41% of last year's innings following the departure of the staff ace. The Bisons must replace Maddox Long, the back-to-back GAC Pitcher of the Year and an All-American who posted an 11-3 record with a 2.16 ERA in 108.1 IP. They also lose Second Team All-GAC selection Javier Lobo, who posted a 3.71 ERA in 51.0 IP, and Honorable Mention All-GAC selection Preston Tabor, who had an 8-4 record with a 4.91 ERA in 73.1 IP.

Stepping up to fill the void is senior Merritt Jay. In 2025, Jay posted a 7-5 record with a 7.03 ERA in 64.0 IP, striking out 65 batters. He will be joined by graduate student Kyle Lane, who transitions to a starting role after recording a 3-2 record with a 5.86 ERA in 35.1 IP, holding opponents to a .244 average.

The bullpen will rely heavily on senior Josiah Binford, who possesses a lot of arm talent and is projected to be the top back-end reliever. Binford is looking to bounce back from a season where he posted a 7.56 ERA in 16.2 IP. Other returners like junior Andrew Davidson and redshirt freshman Landon Oliver have shown flashes of quality and will compete for important innings. However, the staff will be without Austin Jobe, who is expected to miss the 2026 season due to injury.

A talented group of newcomers will be asked to contribute immediately. Freshman right-hander Ryan Romolo had the best fall among all pitchers and could find himself in the weekend rotation. Freshman Austin Kelley prepped at Jackson Christian School and could play a big role on the staff, while fellow freshman Kai Twaites, the 33rd ranked player in Washington, has shown reliability and potential. From the transfer portal, junior Ricky Howell joins from Wabash Valley College, where he struck out 15 in 10 innings, and junior Griffin Dosan transfers from St. Cloud Tech after going 4-2 with a 3.74 ERA in 33.2 IP. Junior CJ Ricaurte brings great arm talent from Sierra College, boasting a 4.08 ERA over two seasons.

Schedule & Outlook

Coach McGaha has not shied away from competition, calling the 2026 slate the "toughest schedule in 20 years". The season opens on January 30 with a road series against Delta State, a perennial powerhouse that finished 33-20 with a South Regional appearance last year. The non-conference gauntlet continues in February at the Arkadelphia tournament, featuring matchups against MIAA Tournament teams like Fort Hays State (32-16) and Missouri Southern (28-25).

Conference play begins with SWOSU on February 20 and 21. The Bisons will also host Ouachita Baptist later that month and welcome Southern Arkansas, a 31-win team from 2025, to Searcy in early April. The schedule also features a late-season test against Oklahoma Baptist before concluding the regular season with a home series against Arkansas Tech in late April.

The 2025 season was a memorable one for the Bisons. Now, the goal is to succeed with the newcomers and make Harding into a perennial contender in the GAC and Central Region. If you value this in-depth, non-paywalled coverage of D2 Baseball, please consider supporting our independent reporting efforts. Your contribution helps us continue providing free access to all our articles without relying on restrictive paywalls. To support our work, please visit our Patreon page: patreon.com/diviibaseball