RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - The Arkansas Tech softball team dropped their final game of the weekend conference series against Ouachita Baptist in a close 5-6 game on Saturday afternoon at Chartwells. After the game, the Golden Suns are now 16-9 overall with a 6-2 record in GAC play. Getting the start in the circle for the Golden Suns was
Bailey Buffington who picked up the loss and moves to a 10-3 overall record on the year.
The scoring would begin in the top of the second inning as Ouachita Baptist would strike the first offensive blow of the day. A leadoff double to start the top of the frame would set up an RBI single to centerfield for the Tigers that would bring across the first run. Later in the order with two on, Ouachita would record their fourth hit of the inning with an RBI double to left field that would score another run for the Tigers giving them a 2-0 lead.
Following the double,
Kaila Cartwright would replace Buffington in the circle.
The next run of the frame came off a throwing error by the Golden Suns that allowed the batter to reach base and push ahead the third run of the inning for the Tigers. With a runner on third on the next at-bat for Ouachita a wild pitch by Cartwright would allow the Tigers runner at third to score. Ouachita would score their final run of the inning off a sacrifice flyout to to right field that would give them a 5-0 lead after two innings of play.
The final run of the afternoon for the Tigers would come in the top of the third with two outs and two on base as a single down the left field line advanced the runner on second to score and record the lone run of the inning and take a 6-0 lead over the Golden Suns.
To start the fourth inning, the Golden Suns would go for another change in the circle as
Lexy Taylor would come in to replace Cartwright and would go on to close out the game. Taylor held the Tiger offense to 0 runs for the remainder of the game giving the Golden Sun bats a chance to get them back in the game.
The Golden Suns found their spark to get back in the game in the bottom of the fourth inning that began with a leadoff double by
Jessica Williams. Following the double by Williams,
Makenzie Addis would crush a moonshot homer over the centerfield wall to tack on her seventh homerun of the season and get the first two runs of the day on the board for Tech as they still trailed 2-6 in the bottom of the fourth.
Williams and Addis' hot hitting would catch fire as both
Dani Lindsey and
Kaylyn Aguirre would send out back-to-back singles to make it four straight hits to start the bottom of the frame. Following a foul out on the next at-bat,
Shelby Chavers would reach on a fielders choice as the Tiger defense opted to throw out Aguirre at second. Chavers would quickly make up that lost ground racing over to second for a stolen base and put two in scoring position at second and third for Tech.
Plating the next pair of runs for the Golden Suns would be
Brooke Prewitt on an RBI single through the left side that sent both Lindsey and Chavers home to score and make it a two run game now down just 4-6. Following Prewitt's at-bat,
Kacie Gibbins would come in to pinch hit for
Lillee Mahan and would record the sixth hit of the inning for Arkansas Tech with a single through the left side. Delivering the final run of the inning and game for the Golden Suns was
Makenzie Goins with a single up the middle that scored Prewitt to make it a one run game down 5-6 to the Tigers.
Following the fourth inning, neither team would be able to tack on another run.
Kassie Mayberry would give the Golden Suns a good chance with a leadoff single in the top of the sixth that would eventually lead to a bases loaded situation following two walks by Ouachita, but Tech would be unable to capitalize on it. The Tigers would close out the game in the bottom of the seventh inning and edge out the 6-5 over the Golden Suns.
On the weekend as a whole, the Golden Suns take the GAC series over the Tigers winning 2-1 to win their third straight conference series of the season.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns will hit the road for their next outing as they travel to Searcy, Ark. for a conference mid-week doubleheader at Harding on Tuesday. The first game of the doubleheader is set for a 4 p.m. first pitch with the second game set for a 6 p.m. first pitch in Searcy.
