RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - After splitting yesterday's doubleheader with Southeastern, the Arkansas Tech softball team refused to lose going 11 long innings against the Savage Storm before senior first baseman
Makenzie Goins drove in senior second baseman
Tymber Riley with a walk off single to seal the game and give the Golden Suns the 2022 Great American Conference Regular Season Title. Arkansas Tech ends the regular season with a 36-17 overall record and a 26-7 record against conference opponents.
For the third time in this weekend series, the game was a major defensive battle with either side refusing to give an inch. Starting in the circle for the Golden Suns was
Shannon Lasey who had a fantastic outing. She started the game picking up two strikeouts in her first three outs in the top of the first. In the bottom of the frame,
Caitlyn Wells managed to pick up a double and was later followed with a double by
Sydney Keaton but the Savage Storm centerfielder was able to hurl a monster throw to the catcher at home to tag Wells out on the play to end the inning with both sides still scoreless.
In the second, both teams managed to collect a hit with their bats but nothing else. For the Golden Suns, it was a leadoff double to centerfield for
Kassie Mayberry registering the lone hit of the second.
Heading into the bottom of the third inning of play, the game remained at 0-0. The Savage Storm managed to collect two quick outs to apply the pressure to the hitters of Tech. Two big time back-to-back singles from Wells and Goins set up a scoring opportunity for Keaton as she approached the plate. The sophomore left fielder would deliver crushing a double down the right field line to bring in Wells and give the Golden Suns a 1-0 lead heading into the fourth inning of play.
Now through four full innings, Lasey had gone to work and collected five strikeouts on the day in the circle so far. In the top of the fifth Southeastern would finally find some life and score their one and only run of the game. Lasey collected two straight outs to start the inning.
The Savage Storm managed to get a single in play to put a runner on first, who then stole second to put them in scoring position. A long single to centerfield by Southeastern would bring the runner at second across to tie thing up at 1-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.
Both teams would not score again through seven full innings sending the game into a winner take all extra inning showdown. Through seven full innings, Lasey had recorded seven strikeouts and stayed in the circle to open up the top of the eighth. She went straight to work opening up extra innings with a strikeouts. She would allow a lone single but would get two more outs to close the top of the frame. Arkansas Tech would not find any life in the bottom of the eighth putting the game to a ninth inning.
Both pitchers were in their bag in the ninth each retiring their first three batters faced, extending the game to a third extra inning as the game went into the top of the tenth. The ninth inning would be Lasey's last inning within the circle. The sophomore finished her day allowing seven hits, with only one run, walking two and striking out seven for a solid finish to the regular season.
Heading into the top of the tenth inning,
Bailey Buffington would close things out in the circle for the Golden Suns. Buffington put up solid work in her first inning within the circle for the day picking up two strikeouts on her way to three outs. Southeastern continued their strong pitching effort in the bottom of the tenth once again sending back three straight hitters in the Golden Sun lineup as the game approached the 11th and final inning of play.
Buffington's final appearance of the day in the top of the eleventh was flawless collecting three straight outs to retire the side and send out the Arkansas Tech bats for one last round. Riley got things going right away with an absolutely huge double to centerfield to ignite the spark and get the Golden Suns out of the dugout abuzz with energy as Wells stepped up for her chance at the plate.
Wells would pick up a walk but a critical mistake by Cheyenne Mahy, the Savage Storm pitcher, allowed Riley to take third on a wild pitch sending Goins up to bat for the game winning play. A game-winning single to the Southeastern second baseman by Goins would see Riley storm home plate to end the scoring drought as the Golden Suns cleared the dugout to celebrate the long, hard fought 2-1 11 inning win over Southeastern as well as their status as the 2022 GAC regular season champions.
Following the tense series win,
Tymber Riley now holds the single season record for most doubles and most runs in Golden Suns program history to close out a remarkable regular season career for the senior second baseman.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns will head to Bentonville, Ark. next week to compete in the Great American Conference Tournament where they will enter as the No. 1 overall seed. The conference tournament will begin on Thursday, May 5 and will run through Saturday, May 7.
