Box Score BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Behind two multi-run home runs from
Makenzie Goins and a shutout performance from
Shannon Lasey, the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns took down Southern Nazarene in the opening round of the Great American Conference championship tournament.
The Golden Suns will face the winner of the No. 1 seeded Southern Arkansas and No. 8 Arkansas-Monticello tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in the semifinal round of the GAC tournament.
The Golden Suns' opened the bottom of the first inning firing away, posting five runs in the inning. Tymer Riley opened the inning by taking a pitch off the shoulder, followed by a double from
Paty Loredo down the left field line. Riley scored when Wells grounded out to the shortstop before
Brooke Prewitt doubled to center field to score Loredo.
Makenzie Addis drew a walk.
Makenzie Goins cleaned things up, launching a three-run bomb to right field scoring Prewitt and Addis to put the Golden Suns up 5-0 after one.
Riley came back in the top of the second and double to right field before scoring when
Abbie Cain reached on an error. Wells followed with a double to right center, scoring Cain before Prewitt singled to left field. Wells scored on a sacrifice fly from Addis before Goins decided one three-run shot was not enough, as she knocked another one out to left field, scoring Prewitt again with a two-run shot. The Golden Suns extended their lead to 10-0 after two innings.
Lasey continued to keep the Crimson Storm quiet, retiring her first nine batters in order in the first three innings. Riley recorded her second hit of the day with a single through the left side followed by Cain down the left field line. Wells picked up where Goins left off, launching her own three-run homer to left field, scoring the Golden Suns final runs of the day and pushing the lead to 13-0.
The Golden Suns went down in order in the fourth inning before the Crimson Storm registered their first hit of the day in the top of the fifth. Southern Nazarene could not convert and the Golden Suns secured the 13-0 victory in five innings and a berth to their sixth consecutive GAC tournament semifinals.
Goins and Wells recorded five RBIs each in the win as Riley, Wells, Prewitt and Goins led the Golden Suns with two hits apiece. Lasey pitched her seventh complete game and fourth shutout this season.
