MONTICELLO — The University of Arkansas at Monticello baseball team lost to Harding on Friday by a final score of 7-4 in the first game of a three-game Great American Conference series this weekend at Weevils Field.

After a scoreless two innings to start the game, the Bisons (16-20, 8-14 GAC) jumped out to a big lead with two runs in the third inning and five runs in the fourth, highlighted by a three-run homerun from Alan Copeland to cap the five-run fourth.

UAM senior reliever Ben Aldridge came in out of the bullpen following that homerun and allowed only three Harding base runners throughout the final 5.2 innings. Stretching from the fifth inning through the eighth, Aldridge retired 12 consecutive batters, and ended the game with four strikeouts and no walks.

The Weevils (22-9, 14-5 GAC) found the board with a three-run fourth inning, featuring a two-run single from senior Kevin Fitzpatrick and a bases-loaded walk from redshirt freshman Kaleb Reeves.

UAM cut it to a three-run game in the sixth on an RBI bunt from Fitzpatrick to score senior Nick Cerda, who walked to lead off the inning and moved to third on a double from senior Travis Steinke.

UAM had nine hits in the win. Fitzpatrick was a perfect 3-for-3. Cerda went 2-for-3.
 
The series wraps up on Saturday with a double-header starting at noon.