WEATHERFORD, Okla. - Continuing their recent hot streak, the Arkansas Tech softball team opens their conference series on the road against Southwestern Oklahoma State with a doubleheader sweep. The Golden Suns took game one in a 6-0 shutout, while game two proved to be tough challenge, but they found a way to grab the 4-3 win to sweep the day. Following the pair of wins, the Golden Suns have officially clinched a spot in the Great American Conference Tournament.
GAME ONE
The first four innings of play were a tough grind for both teams as the defense was controlling the game. Leading the Golden Suns on defense in the circle was
Shannon Lasey with another strong effort. Lasey started her first inning in the circle collecting two swinging strikeouts to put up two quick outs. She would walk the next batter, but immediately shake it off with another swinging strikeout to retire the side and bring on the second inning.
Tech shortstop
Brooke Prewitt would slap a double out to right field to try and give the offense a boost. She would get as far as third base following a wild pitch by the Bulldogs pitcher, but two straight strikeouts would bring out
Shannon Lasey to the circle once again. On her way to three outs, Lasey collected her fourth strikeout of the day in the bottom of the second and would get her fifth in the bottom of the third.
Heading into the bottom of the fourth inning the game was still scoreless. Southwestern Oklahoma would find a leadoff walk to start the inning, but Lasey would get right back and retire the next batter on another swinging strikeout. A single up the middle by the Bulldogs set up a runner in scoring position on second. A single to
Kassie Mayberry at third would get the runner at second out with the hitter reaching on a fielder's choice situation to keep runners on at first and second. The Golden Suns would escape the inning with another fielder's choice as a ground ball  would be hit to Prewitt at shortstop then swung over to Mayberry at third to log the final out of the inning.
The Golden Suns would finally be the team to strike the board first in the top of the fifth inning. The scoring sequence started with a leadoff double to left center field by Tech catcher
Jessica Williams, which would set up a sacrifice bunt situation for
Adrianna Cooney who advanced her to third.
The bases would then find themselves loaded for the Golden Suns as
Shelby Chavers would walk and follow by stealing second, while
Tymber Riley would take her base following a hit-by-pitch.
Caitlyn Wells drove in Williams and Chavers to score following a busted single up the middle and put runners on the corner as Mayberry stepped up to the plate.
A crushed double to right field from Mayberry would bring across Riley and put Wells at third.
Kaylyn Aguirre replaced Wells at third as a pinch runner following the play. The final run of the inning would come from
Makenzie Goins with a sacrifice flyout to centerfield that Aguirre would take advantage of and storm home plate to give Arkansas Tech a strong 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth.
The Golden Suns would tack on another run in the top of the sixth as a leadoff single up the middle for
Sydney Keaton would set up the scoring play. Keaton stole second to put herself in scoring position and a single through the right side for Chavers would bring her home.
Kaila Cartwright came in to replace Lasey in the bottom of the sixth inning and would finish out the game in the circle. Lasey ended the day allowing four hits, walking four and collecting seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work. She also picked up the win and moves to 13-5 on the year.
The final run of the game for Arkansas Tech would come across in the top of the seventh inning. The Golden Suns quickly found themselves in a two out situation as the Bulldogs struckout the first two hitters due up. A solid double to right field from Goins put the final run on second base as Prewitt approached the plate. Prewitt would cap off the game with a double to right center field to pick up an RBI and bring across Goins to give the Golden Suns a 6-0 lead.
Cartwright closed the curtains on the opening game of the doubleheader to give Arkansas Tech the 6-0 win. The junior finished allowing just one hit in her 2.0 relief innings in the circle with no walks and logging three strikeouts.
GAME TWO
Southwestern Oklahoma State struck the board first in game two as a single to left center field brought in their only run of the inning to jump out to an early 1-0 lead over the Golden Suns.
The pitching effort by the Bulldogs in game two was a tough fight for the Golden Suns not scoring any runs through three innings with only one hit off a single from Chavers to the Southwestern Oklahoma second baseman.
Starting pitcher
Bailey Buffington went to work in the bottom of the third inning for Arkansas Tech collecting three straight outs, that included two swinging strikouts to retire the side. Neither team managed to bring across any runs in the fourth inning leaving the game still at a 1-0 lead for the Bulldogs as the top of the fifth inning began.
The Golden Suns found the offensive lift they needed to break the game open in the top of the fifth.
Savannah Snow started things off with a single to center field. A bunt from Cooney would allow her to reach first on a fielder's choice as the Bulldog defense decided to throw Snow out at second. Cooney would advance to second following a walk for Chavers.
Coming up with another incredible play when the Golden Suns needed it most was Riley as she crushed a double to right field to bring in both Cooney and Chavers and give Arkansas Tech their first lead of the game now pulling ahead 2-1. The clutch plays weren't finished however, as the very next at-bat saw Wells launch a bomb over the left center field wall giving the sophomore her tenth homer on the year to put the Golden Suns up 4-1 and force Southwestern Oklahoma State to make a pitching change.
Southwestern Oklahoma State would not go down without a fight as big leadoff triple put them in position to bring across another run. A single to right field would do just that as the Bulldogs would bring it to a 4-2 game. A sacrifice bunt would put a runner on second and a double down the left field line would bring them across as Southwestern Oklahoma brought the game to back within one and apply pressure to the Golden Sun defense.
Following the double, Cartwright would find herself in the circle to relieve once again. Buffington finished her day allowing nine hits, three runs and striking out seven in 4.1 innings of work. The sophomore would pick up the win and move to 10-5 on the season.
Arkansas Tech would not bring across another run in the game, but Cartwright would do her job in the circle and not allow the Bulldogs to tie or take the leading holding them scoreless to give Tech the close 4-3 victory to sweep the doubleheader.
Cartwright picks up the save for her fifth on the year while holding the Bulldogs to no hits or runs and would log one strikeout, walking no batters in her 2.2 relief innings of work.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns will take on the third and final game of the conference series against Southwestern Oklahoma State tomorrow. First pitch is slated for noon from Weatherford.
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