SEARCY, Ark. - Hot off a solid sweep on the road last weekend against Ouachita Baptist, the Arkansas Tech softball team picks up another series sweep against conference rival Harding winning the final game of the season series 2-0 in Searcy. The Golden Suns previously swept the Bisons in a doubleheader on March 9 and finished off the season series sweep with today's win on the road. Following the game, the Golden Suns broke the stalemate between both teams in the Great American Conference standings and now take sole ownership of the No. 2 spot in the conference while Harding drops to third.
The game was a pitching duel between both sides, but Tech won the day as starting pitcher
Shannon Lasey took full command of the game in the circle going the distance for a complete seven innings. In her complete game, Lasey threw a shutout keeping the Bisons off home plate with no runs coming across to score and allowed just four hits on the day. She also retired four Bisons hitters on strikeouts with no walks. The sophomore managed to pick up the win moving to 10-5 on the season.Â
The Golden Suns managed to pick up a pair of singles from
Tymber Riley and
Caitlyn Wells to start things off in the top of the opening inning, but wouldn't find a way to drive those runs in. In the bottom of the frame, Lasey got right to work as she quickly sent the top of the order for Harding packing with three straight groundouts to close a flawless first inning in the circle.
The top of the second inning opened up with
Makenzie Goins crushing a leadoff double down the left field line to put her in scoring position with no outs as
Brooke Prewitt approached the plate. Prewitt successfully got a sacrifice bunt to go as she was out at first, but Goins managed to make it to third to bring home plate within striking distance.
Ultimately, it was
Sydney Keaton who would bring across the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly out to left field that let Goins storm home plate to give the Golden Suns a 1-0 lead.
In the circle, Lasey continued to dominate collecting her first strikeout in the bottom of the second. Lasey once again managed to get three straight outs in the bottom of the third inning holding the Bisons to just a single hit through three.
In the bottom of the fourth, Harding managed to rack up a leadoff hit against Lasey, but quickly found it to be irrelevant as the sophomore struckout the next batter looking and retired the following two hitters on a pop up and groundout to Goins at first.
Lasey wouldn't allow the Bisons to sniff a hit in the bottom of the fifth as she got the first on a groundout and struckout the next two hitters swinging to bring her to four total on the day.
Things got a little dicy for the Golden Suns in the bottom of the sixth inning as a fielding error with no outs led to Harding getting a runner on base to start the bottom of the frame. A single by the next hitter mounted the pressure on the Tech defense as two were on base with no outs and the top of the order was due up for the Bisons. The Golden Suns managed to collect the first off a sacrifice bunt by Harding, but now two were in scoring position as the runners on first and second were able to advance off the play.
Unfazed by the sticky situation, Lasey remained cool, calm and collected within the circle getting the final two outs in play to lead the Golden Suns out of the inning keeping Harding off the boards once again.
Arkansas Tech took a narrow 1-0 lead into the final inning of play looking for a way to score to keep up the pressure on the Bisons. Prewitt would do just that for the Golden Suns demolishing a leadoff homerun over the left field wall to come up with a huge clutch play and give the Golden Suns some room to breathe as they headed into the bottom of the frame now up 2-0.
As she had done all game, Lasey delivered one more phenomenal inning inside the circle for the Golden Suns as she closed out the game to give the Golden Suns their big time 2-0 victory on the road over Harding and deliver the 3-0 season series sweep.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns return home for a conference series clash as the Henderson State Reddies roll into town for a three-game weekend. The weekend will open up with a single game on Friday with first pitch set for 5 p.m. at Chartwells Women's Sports Complex. The series will wrap with doubleheader action as first pitch is slated for noon on Saturday.
