RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - Wasting no time after their scorching hot 16-0 five inning win over Henderson State yesterday evening, the Arkansas Tech softball team puts on an offensive and defensive showcase in Saturday afternoon's doubleheader to sweep the weekend series 3-0. The Golden Suns picked up an 11-3 six inning win in the first game of the afternoon, then put together a solid 4-0 shutout to close out the weekend strong. The Golden Suns move to 28-14 following their perfect week of play and are now 18-6 against Great American Conference opponents.
GAME ONE
The Golden Suns got to work on offense right away as, after a leadoff walk for
Shelby Chavers, second baseman
Tymber Riley sent out a single for the first hit of the day and both runners would advance following a bad throw by the Reddies. A few pitches later, Henderson State let loose a wild pitch that secured Chavers the route to home plate for the first run of the day, while Riley found herself now on third base.
One more run would find itself able to come across home plate thanks to a single that dipped over to right field from
Caitlyn Wells that sent Riley in for the run as the Golden Suns found themselves on top 2-0 after the opening inning.
No runs would be put on the board across the next few innings for either Arkansas Tech or Henderson State. The Golden Suns would find a pair of singles to add to the total hits, but nothing to bring in another run.
Heading into the top of the fourth inning of action, the Golden Suns looked to be on their way to their second shutout of the weekend, but let a single and a walk slip past them setting up for a potential big play for Henderson. For the first and only time of the weekend the Reddies would find themselves in the lead as they managed to hit a three run bomb to take a 3-2 heading into the middle of the frame.
That lead wouldn't last long as a big time bottom of the fourth was due up for Arkansas Tech. The bottom of the frame started with a leadoff double to right-center field by
Sydney Keaton to put herself in scoring position at second. Golden Sun catcher
Jessica Williams cleared a path to third for Keaton with a sacrifice bunt putting her within striking distance for a run. Following that at-bat,
Adrianna Cooney stepped up to the plate to crush a single to center field to pick up an RBI as Keaton found her way home to tie the game.
Still in the bottom of the fourth, the top of the order was back up as Chavers bounced a nice single through the right side to get herself to first base as Riley approached the plate. With the game at a 3-3 stalemate Riley delivered the play of the weekend slaughtering an absolute bomb over the centerfield wall to come up with a crucial three run play and give the Golden Suns a 6-3 lead heading into the fifth inning.
Cooney picked up her second RBI of the day following a sac bunt to bring in
Brooke Prewitt on third to score the lone run in the fifth.
In the bottom of the sixth, Wells crushed a leadoff double to open things up.
Kaylyn Aguirre took over for Wells as a pinch runner at second.
Kassie Mayberry was able to reach first following an error by the Reddie shortstop to put a pair of runners in the corners for the Golden Suns. A wild pitch would advance the base runners and bring in Aguirre for the first run of the inning.
The Reddies put themselves in a hole walking the next two batters to load the bases with Williams due up for Tech. Williams busted the final play of the game with a strong walkoff double to centerfield to bring across all baserunners and force a run rule giving the Golden Suns the 11-3 win.
Bailey Buffington started in the circle for the Golden Suns and picked up the win to move to 9-5 on the year. The sophomore went 4.0 innings and collected three strikeouts.
Kaila Cartwright replaced Buffington in the circle in the top of the fifth and would close out the game there. Cartwright earned her fourth save on the year in her 2.0 innings pitched and struckout four in that time.
GAME TWO
The final game of the doubleheader would prove to be another strong win for Arkansas Tech. Following an error by Henderson State that allowed leadoff hitter Chavers to reach first, Riley once again flamed a scorching homerun past deep right center field to open the game with a 2-0 lead for the Golden Suns.
With that homerun, Riley notched her 13th on the year which sets a new career record for total homeruns in a single season for the senior as she surpassed the 12 hit bombs she put up during her freshman year in 2019. The Bentonville native is at 31 total homeruns for her career and needs just five more to break the all time career homerun record for the Golden Suns which currently sits at 36.
Following the first inning of play, the Golden Suns defense continued to work. Leading the way for the defense was starting pitcher
Shannon Lasey who put together another elite performance in the circle.
The sophomore collected two strikeouts in the top of the first and was able to put a ball in play in the second inning for the Tech defense who then strung together a beautiful 6-4-3 double play to send back all Reddie baserunners. Lasey collected another swinging strikeout in the top of the third inning of play to log her third of the afternoon.
Following a few substitutions on the field for Henderson State, Riley stepped up to the plate looking to get things rolling in the bottom of the third. The Reddies wouldn't have it though throwing four straight intentional balls to walk the hitter that had been a nightmare all weekend for them. Tech followed Riley's at-bat with a pair of back-to-back singles by Mayberry and Wells to load the bases with no outs.
Following the pair of singles, Golden Sun first baseman
Makenzie Goins picked up an RBI with a sacrifice flyout to leftfield that allowed Riley to storm home plate to give the Golden Suns some breathing room now holding a 3-0 lead. Henderson State did a good job holding the hot bats of Arkansas Tech leaving two stranded on base escaping the no out bases loaded situation with only a single run to come across as they closed out the third inning.
In the top of the fourth, Lasey put in another strong inning getting three straight outs and collecting her fourth strikeout of the afternoon. Tech wouldn't find a run in the bottom of the frame, but Lasey continued to hold her ground through the fifth inning only facing three batters and logging her fifth strikeout.
The final run of the weekend for the Golden Suns came in the bottom of the fifth and started with a leadoff single down the left field line for Mayberry. Goins then followed with a single of her own to put two base runners on for Tech with Mayberry in scoring position at second. A sacrifice bunt from Prewitt advanced the runners ahead one base and set up the scoring play for Keaton as she hit her own sac bunt that allowed Mayberry to book it to home plate for the final run of the series and put the Golden Suns on top 4-0.
The Tech defense once again put in great work in the top of the sixth as they retired the inning with another gorgeous double play, this time a 4-6-3 for the second double play of the game. Lasey and the Golden Sun defense closed out the sweep in the top of the seventh inning once again not allowing Henderson State to even sniff home plate as they earn the 4-0 win and the second shutout of the series.
Following the win, Lasey picks up the win and moves to 12-5 on the year. The Dover native finished going the distance for a complete 7.0 inning game in the circle while managing to record six total strikeouts on the day and earn her second shutout of the weekend once again shutting down the Henderson State bats.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns head across the state line to take on Southwestern Oklahoma State for their final three-game conference road series of the 2022 season. The series will be a little different from the usual weekend schedule as they will start with a doubleheader on Thursday with first pitch set to go at 2 p.m. in Weatherford with the second game to follow shortly after. Finally, the series will conclude with a single game on Friday with first pitch slated for noon.
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