SEARCY, Ark. - The Arkansas Tech softball team dropped both games of the mid-week conference doubleheader on the road at No. 13 Harding on Tuesday afternoon as the Bisons held Tech scoreless in both games. Following this afternoons action, the Golden Suns are now 16-11 overall with a 6-4 record against Great American Conference opponents.
GAME ONE
In the opening game of the doubleheader, the Golden Suns would collect their first hit of the game in the top of the third inning as
Kaylyn Aguirre would send out a single up the middle to put Tech on base early in the inning. Following Aguirre's at-bat,
Kassie Mayberry and
Shelby Chavers would both reach base on a fielder's choice.
Chavers would go on to steal second and
Brooke Prewitt would take first on a walk. However, the Bisons would stop the Golden Suns from scoring and move the game into the bottom of the third inning.
In the bottom of the frame, the Bisons would tack on their first runs of the day as a hit by pitch would score their first run with the bases loaded and a fielder's choice that would give the runner at third an opportunity to strike home and take a 2-0 lead over the Golden Suns heading into the fourth inning of play.
The Golden Sun bats couldn't find a consistent way to get the hitting going on the offensive end, turning to
Bailey Buffington, the starting pitcher of the game, to hold down the fort on the defensive end.
A single down the left field line by the Bisons in the bottom of the fifth inning would score the third and final run of the game. Following the run,
Kaila Cartwright would replace Buffington in the circle and close out the game from there.
In the top of the seventh, the Golden Suns would record one more hit with a single through the left side by
Makenzie Addis, but would be unable to capitalize on the opportunity and drop game one 0-3 to No. 13 Harding.
GAME TWO
To begin the second game of the day, Aguirre would hit a leadoff single down the left field line to get herself on base early. However, the Bisons would go on to get the next three batters out to send out their offense for the first time in game two.
Starting in the circle in game two for Arkansas Tech was
Bradi Basler who would start her first inning of work recording two straight outs. Basler would then allow three singles that would give up two unearned runs following a fielding error by Tech on the previous at-bat that allowed a runner to reach first. Harding would end the bottom of the first holding a 2-0 lead over the Golden Suns.
Sydney Keaton would produce some offense for Tech in the top of the second with a single down the left field line, but would be the only hit of the inning for Tech. The Golden Suns would pick up two more hits across the next two innings with singles from Aguirre and
Makenzie Goins.
The final runs of the game would come from Harding in the bottom of the fourth inning as a pair of back-to-back singles by the Bisons would drive in a combined three runs to extend their lead over the Golden Suns to 5-0 after four innings of play.
The lone hit of the fifth inning for Tech would come from
Dani Lindsey on a single down the left field line. In the bottom of the frame, Carwright would replace Basler in the circle and would close out the game there once again.
The final hit of the day for the Golden Suns would come from a two-out single to left field by Addis in the top of the sixth inning. Harding would once again hold the Golden Sun bats and close out the game from there taking game two 5-0 over Tech.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns will stay on the road for their next outing as they prepare to head to Alva, Okla. to take on Northwestern Oklahoma State in a weekend GAC series. The series will start with doubleheader action on Friday with first pitch set for 2 p.m. that afternoon. Then, the series will wrap with the final game of the series on Saturday, which is set for an 11 a.m. first pitch that morning in Alva.
