RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — A huge 10-run inning was enough to get the Arkansas Tech softball team rolling in the opener of Saturday's Great American Conference doubleheader, and it didn't lose any momentum from there, earning 10-2 and 5-0 victories over Southwestern Oklahoma at Chartwells Women's Sports Complex to complete a four-game sweep, run their winning streak to seven and move into a virtual tie at the top of the GAC standings.

Whitney Robinson bolstered the Golden Suns (25-7, 14-4 GAC) with a 4-for-6 day at the plate, scoring four runs along the way, while Janie Knowles scored twice and added three RBIs, and Ashley Savage and Shanna Davidson each added two hits. Kelsie Barker delivered a complete-game three-hitter in the finale to keep the Bulldogs (5-23, 1-15 GAC) at bay.

The Tech offense couldn't get much going early in the first game, surrendering the lead to the Bulldogs for the first time in the weekend series when the guests plated solo runs in the both the second and third innings to go up 2-0, collecting all six of the hits they would manage in the game over the first three frames. That advantage wouldn't last long though, as the Golden Suns forced their way through three SWOSU pitchers to put up double digits in the bottom of the third. Shanna Davidson, Whitney Robinson and Jalissa Gum all drew walks to start the inning, loading the bases and chasing the Bulldogs' starting pitcher. Alexa Wimberly pinch hit to face the new pitcher, drawing a four-pitch walk to net the Suns' first run of the game, and Janie Knowles worked a fifth consecutive free pass to tie the game at 2-2.

Kambri Hill got her chance with the bases loaded, and came through with Tech's first hit of the day to push two more runs across.  Ashley Savage and Chelsea Reeves each followed with singles of their own to push Knowles and Hill home and make it 6-2, and after a groundout for the first out of the inning, Davidson smacked a two-run double to right and Robinson added a single to keep the frame going. Gum was hit by a pitch to load the bases once again, followed by Wimberly's second walk and second RBI of the inning and Knowles' sacrifice fly to left that made it 10-2. In all, 15 batters came to the plate for the Golden Suns in the bottom of the third, collecting five hits, six walks and a hit by pitch to drive in 10 runs — the most in a single inning for Tech since scoring 10 in the first frame Feb. 8, 2012 against University of the Ozarks.

Starter Sydnee Clark, who went four innings and allowed two runs on six hits while striking out five, worked around a hit batter in the top of the fourth to end any threat, then gave way to Mary Moran, who allowed a one-out walk but closed out the top of the fifth to complete the run-rule victory.

The Tech bats got to work right away in the second game, as Robinson led off with a double to left moved up on a Gum sac bunt and scored on Knowles' single through the left side. Reeves singled to left with two outs, and a misplay on the ball allowed Knowles to come home and make it 2-0 after one inning. Both pitchers would settle in from there, especially Barker, who allowed single hits in the first, third and fourth innings, getting out of any trouble with relative ease in those frames. She allowed walks in both the fifth and sixth, but stranded both of those runners before shutting down the Bulldogs with a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh. The junior earned her third win of the season, striking out five and walking just three.

The Golden Suns took advantage of two walks and a Robinson single in the bottom of the sixth before a Knowles fly ball was misjudged with two outs, allowing three more runs to score and the hosts to reach a 5-0 lead.

Tech, which has won 15 out of its last 18 contests and two straight sweeps in four-game GAC series, heads to Topeka, Kansas to face Central Region foe Washburn in a doubleheader Wednesday.