Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Courtney Colunga combined to go 4-for-7, slamming a pair of home runs as the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns softball team (4-0) continued its winning streak with two wins on Saturday at the UAM 8-State Classic in Bentonville, Arkansas, picking up run-rule victories over both both Nebraska-Kearney 13-4 and Minnesota-State 11-2.

In game one against Nebraska-Kearney, the Lopers got on the board in the top of the first with a solo home run by Erin Dwyer, before Colunga smashed her first home run of the day in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 1-1.

After Morgan Vaughan pitched out of a jam in the top of the second inning, the Golden Suns created a jam of their own in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with one out. Colunga stepped to the plate again and delivered a bases-clearing single to untie the game and give the Golden Suns a 4-1 lead.

Kambri Hill added an RBI single later in the frame, and a three-run homer by Chelsea Reeves gave the Golden Suns a commanding  8-1 lead after two innings.

The Lopers were retired in order in the third inning, while the Golden Suns continued their offensive onslaught.

Ashley Anderson led off the bottom of the third with a double, and she was quickly scored on an RBI single by Shanna Davidson. Colunga hit her second homer of the contest later in the inning, pushing the Tech lead to 12-1.

UNK used a solo homer in the top of the fourth to cut the Tech lead to 12-2, but the Golden Suns responded in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double by Miranda Dupree to pull ahead 13-2.

Even though the Lopers chalked two up in the top of the fifth, the eight run rule was invoked and the Golden Suns sealed the win.

Vaughan picked up the win, throwing four innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits, fanning three.

"I am very pleased with our performance this far," said Golden Suns head coach Kristina McSweeney, "We have been working hard and it is showing."

The nightcap saw more of the same as the Golden Suns scored early and often against Minnesota State en route to the second run-rule victory of the day.

Victoria Huie (2-0) picked up the win for the Golden Suns after allowing two runs in five innings, scattering six hits and fanning three. The senior opened the game with two scoreless innings, and the run support followed beginning in the second inning as Reeves hit an RBI double, and later scored on a fielder's choice to give the Golden Suns a 2-0 lead after two.

Huie again held the Mavericks off the board in the third, when the Golden Suns used another big inning to create some separation. Hill hit a solo homer to open scoring, Davidson turned in a two-run double to push the Golden Suns ahead 5-0, and a two-run single by Colunga and an RBI double by Jalissa Gum gave Arkansas Tech a commanding 8-0 lead.

The Mavericks threatened in the fourth but once again Huie pitched out of a jam, and in the fourth, Ashley Savage bashed a solo shot to put the Golden Suns ahead 9-0.
In the top of the fifth, the Mavericks plated a pair of runs to temporarily take the run rule out of play, but in the bottom of the fifth, Gum smashed a two-run homer to end the game by the score of 11-2.

"We had a really good weekend and played really tough competition," said McSweeney, "We came out ready to play this weekend and it showed."

The Golden Suns will play next at the Pitt State Classic, in Pittsburg, Kansas on Feb. 21-22. Tech will play Northwest Missouri State at noon and host Pittsburg State at 2 p.m. on both dates.