Box Score RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - A relentless effort at the plate with high powered offense leads the Arkansas Tech softball team to a crushing 16-0 home shutout win over Henderson State in five innings. The Golden Suns racked up an astounding 19 total hits on the day and the offense scored at least one run in all four innings at bat. With the win, the Golden Suns take game one of three on the weekend and will look to take the series win tomorrow with first pitch set to go at noon for a doubleheader at Chartwells Women's Sports Complex.

The Golden Suns wasted no time getting their offense going as Tymber Riley got things rolling with a strong double to left center field. Following a single to centerfield by Caitlyn Wells, Kassie Mayberry singled to left center to pick up an RBI and bring Riley home for the first of many runs in the game.

Golden Sun shortstop Brooke Prewitt drove in the next pair of runs off a crushed double to left field to record the first of her big hits on the night. With Sydney Keaton at the plate, Prewitt turned on the jets to pick up a stolen base zooming over to third, then ran in to score the fourth and final run of the inning following a wild pitch by the Reddie pitcher.

As Arkansas Tech headed into the second inning of play, they controlled every aspect of the game. Controlling the defense was the Golden Suns starting ace in the circle Shannon Lasey. The sophomore had another fantastic outing for Tech picking up the win to move to 11-5 on the year. She managed to collect seven strikeouts in just 4.0 innings of work only allowing a single hit and no runs to earn a shutout and shutdown the Henderson State offense.

Up 4-0 heading into the bottom of the second inning of play, Adrianna Cooney got things rocking with a leadoff double to left center field to warm up the Golden Sun bats. Shelby Chavers would follow Cooney's at-bat and take her base following a hit by pitch and both base runners would advance one off a wild pitch as Riley continued her turn at the plate.

Riley recorded two RBI's following her cranked double to left center field to bring across both Cooney and Chavers to tack on two more. The next run would be brought across by Prewitt logging her third RBI on the day off a single up the middle to bring home Riley and put Wells within striking distance on third as Keaton approached the plate.

The hot bats continued with Keaton as she busted a double to centerfield to bring in Wells and Prewitt for the two RBI double and push the Golden Sun lead to 9-0 over Henderson State.

Lasey put together another three straight outs to keep the Reddies quiet once again in the top of the third inning bringing out the scorching hot Tech offense.

The Golden Suns dealt the most damage of the game in the bottom of the third that began with an RBI double to right center field for Riley to bring across Chavers for the 10-0 lead.

Chloe Bryant took over for Riley as the pinch runner following the double and would remain in the game. The Golden Suns would follow the double, with another double, this time by Wells as she brought across a run on the hit. Kacie Gibbins took over for Wells at second following her double and would also remain in the game. Both Riley and Wells went a perfect three-for-three in their at-bats for the game.

Still in the bottom of the third inning, Mayberry clobbered a big time triple to bring in the run and would score the fourth herself following a wild pitch.

First baseman Makenzie Goins picked up her first hit of the night with a double to right field to bring up Prewitt for another masterful at-bat. The final two runs of the inning came from Prewitt's smashed homerun over the right center field wall to give the Golden Suns a soul crushing 15-0 lead over Henderson State. With the homerun, Prewitt was the third member of the Golden Suns  to log a perfect day at the plate going three-for-three joining Riley and Wells.

In her final inning in the circle, Lasey got right to work and collected two outs and followed with her only allowed hit of the day. She quickly brushed it aside as she sent the next Reddie batter packing on a swinging strikeout to finish another elite performance in the circle for Tech.

While the barrage of runs ended following the bottom of the third, the Golden Suns still managed to put up one more exciting play as Gibbins stroked a gorgeous bomb over the left field wall giving the freshman her first career homerun as a member of the Golden Suns to close out the scoring for the day as they headed into the top of the fifth holding a 16-0 lead.

The Golden Suns opted to close out the day with Wells taking command in the circle in the top of the fifth. She did her job to the letter getting three straight outs, which included a strikeout, to give Arkansas Tech the dominate 16-0 five inning run rule victory over Henderson State to start the weekend series strong.