BETHANY, Okla. - A late comeback rally to force extra innings falls just short as the Arkansas Tech softball team drops the weekend series opener 7-6 against Southern Nazarene. The Golden Suns and Crimson Storm both put up 11 total hits in the game.

While the Golden Suns were unable to find a run in the top of the first inning, Caitlyn Wells and Kassie Mayberry both managed to pick up a single to record the first pair of hits in the game. The Crimson Storm would be unable to produce any runs in the bottom of the frame.

Southern Nazarene was the team to score first in the bottom of the second. The Crimson Storm opened up the top of the frame with a pair of singles to put runners on first and second, but a wild pitch would advance the base runners ahead one more. The next batter would reach first on a fielders choice while the runner at second advanced to third and the runner at third ran in to secure the first run of the game for the Crimson Storm. Southern Nazarene found one more run after a single brought in one more run to make it a 2-0 lead heading into the third inning of action.

Neither side saw any more runs on the board in the third or fourth inning, which brought Arkansas Tech's offense back up to the plate. Shelby Chavers would lead off the inning and take her base as she was walked. Tymber Riley hit a fly out to right field that allowed Chavers to move ahead to second base as Wells approached the plate. Wells crushed her eighth bomb of the season over the center field wall to tie the game at two runs a piece heading into the bottom of the frame.

Following the two run inning by the Golden Suns, the Crimson Storm responded in a big way.  Following a hit by pitch that put a runner on first, Southern Nazarene managed to hit a two run homer taking a 4-2 lead. The Crimson Storm weren't done yet as they recorded another single and then one more two run homerun to take a 6-2 lead heading into the top of the sixth inning.

This time, it would be the Golden Suns to make a big response in the top of the sixth. Adrianna Cooney led off with a single through the left side and Sydney Keaton followed with a double to left center field putting them both in scoring position. Pinch hitting for Savannah Snow was Brooke Prewitt who delivered a timely single to shortstop to score Cooney and cut the deficit to three.

Following a strikeout, Chavers grounded out to first, but managed to advance Prewitt to second and Keaton to third which sent Riley up to the plate. Riley busted a double to right field to score both Keaton and Prewitt making it just a 6-5 lead for the Crimson Storm as the Golden Suns worked their way back into the game.

Mayberry would drive in the final run of the inning for the Golden Suns with a single to second base that scored Riley tying the game at 6-6 heading into the bottom of the sixth. Neither team would score again, forcing the game to go to an eighth inning of play.

While the Golden Suns would not be able to find a run in the top of the eighth Chavers and Wells would each record a single and Mayberry would pickup a double for the final hits of the game. The Crimson Storm hit a walk off single to left field to score their runner at third to win the opening game of the weekend 7-6.

Starting in the circle for the Golden Suns was Shannon Lasey who picked up two strikeouts in 2.0 innings. Replacing Lasey in the bottom of the third was Bailey Buffington who struckout three in 2.1 total innings. Buffington would collect one out in the bottom of the fifth before Wells took over in the circle for the rest of the inning. Closing out the game for the Golden Suns and replacing Wells in the circle in the bottom of the sixth inning was Maddy Prough who struckout 2 batters in 2.2 innings of work. Prough picks up the loss and drops to 5-4 on the season.

The Golden Suns will try and bounce back tomorrow in the doubleheader finale to the series against Southern Nazarene. First pitch is slated for noon tomorrow, with the second game of the doubleheader to directly follow the first. Read Full Article