ALVA, Okla. – Sophomore Courtney Colunga went 3-for-6 with a home run, while Kambri Hill and Whitney Robinson tallied two more homers on the day as the No. 23 Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (28-8, 15-5 GAC) earned a split with Northwestern Oklahoma State (15-20, 10-14 GAC), winning the opening game of the doubleheader 7-1 before falling 6-4 in the nightcap on Thursday evening.

In the opener, a two-run homer by Kambri Hill in the top of the first gave Arkansas Tech an early 2-0 lead. The two teams traded quiet innings for the next four frames, before NWOSU narrowed the gap to 2-1 on an RBI single by Shelby Anderson.

The Suns fired back in the top of the seventh, as Robinson's two-run double put Tech up 4-1.  Later in the inning, Colunga belted a three-run homer to give Tech a 7-1 lead.

Sophomore Sydnee Clark improved to 8-2 on the season after tossing four scoreless innings in relief, allowing four hits, fanning three and walking one. Freshman Morgan Vaughan had three scoreless innings to start the contest.

In the nightcap, Anderson belted a two-run homer to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead in the first inning. However, the Golden Suns responded as Robinson smashed a three-run homer to give Tech a 3-2 lead the very next inning.

NWOSU responded immediately, as Jordan Haya hit a three-run homer of her own to put the Rangers ahead 5-2, and NWOSU would add one additional run later in the frame on a passed ball.

After a rocky start from Kelsie Barker, who suffered the loss after surrendering five runs, only two of which were earned in 1.2 innings of work, senior Victoria Huie came in and was solid in relief, throwing 4.1 innings and scattering four hits, allowing one run.

Tech was able to cut into the Rangers lead in the fifth on an RBI double by Jalissa Gum, but Tech could not get any closer as the Rangers salvaged the opening-day split.

The Golden Suns return to action Friday, concluding their four-game set with NWOSU. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.