ALVA, Okla. - The Arkansas Tech softball team picks up a clean doubleheader sweep on the road against Northwestern Oklahoma State taking both games to guarantee a win in the weekend series. Following today's action, the Golden Suns advance to 18-11 overall with an 8-4 record against Great American Conference opponents.
GAME ONE
In the first game of the afternoon, the Rangers attacked the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first inning getting a run across by way of a single down the left field line to score the run for the Rangers and give them the early 1-0 advantage.
The Golden Suns got their chance to strike back in the top of the third inning. The scoring sequence began on a walk to
Shelby Chavers, who then raced over to second for a stolen base and put herself in scoring position for the Golden Suns.
Ultimately, Chavers would score on a sacrifice hit to the shortstop by
Kaylyn Aguirre that allowed Chavers to race home and tie the game at 1-1 for Arkansas Tech.
In the bottom of the inning, starting pitcher
Bailey Buffington took care of business with a strikeout and a hit that led to a double play to send back out the Golden Sun bats for the top of the fourth inning.
Makenzie Goins started the inning with a strong leadoff single to right center field and would get to second on a sac bunt by
Jessica Williams. Following the sac bunt,
Makenzie Addis would reach base due to an error by the Ranger shortstop to put two on for the Golden Suns.
Dani Lindsey would reach first on a fielder's choice as the Rangers decided to get Goins out at third putting runners on first and second for Tech. A single to third base by
Kacie Gibbins would drive in Addis for the unearned run.
Kassie Mayberry would cap off the inning for Tech crushing a double down the left field line to score both Gibbins and Lindsey to give the Golden Suns the 4-1 lead after four innings of play.
From here, Buffington would put in work holding the bats of the Rangers silent as the game entered the seventh and final inning of play.
Arkansas Tech would score their final run of the game in the top of the seventh and it would come off an error by the NWOSU catcher that allowed Aguirre to round third and strike home to give the Golden Suns a 5-1 would advantage.
Buffington closed out the bottom of the frame to cap off the Golden Suns game one win. She collects the win and moves to 11-4 overall on the year in the circle.
GAME TWO
This time it would be the Golden Suns who would take the early lead to start game two.
The sequence began with back-to-back walks to
Brooke Prewitt and Goins that put two on early for Tech. Addis would find her way to first base by way of an error by the Ranger centerfielder that also allowed both Prewitt and Goins to score the pair of unearned runs to give the Golden Suns an early 2-0 advantage over NWOSU.
In the bottom of the frame, the Rangers would put up their first run of the game off a single to right field that scored their lone run of the inning as the Golden Suns held the 2-1 lead heading into the second inning of action.
To start the top of the third, Prewitt would reach first by way of an error from the Ranger third baseman. Goins would push ahead Prewitt with a well placed sac bunt, but Prewitt would be able to go all the way and score the unearned run following yet another error by the NWOSU fielders.
In the bottom of the frame, starting pitcher
Bradi Basler recorded three straight outs for a strong showing in the bottom of the frame to send back out the Golden Sun offense.
Arkansas Tech would score three more runs in the top of the fifth that began with a single to second base by Chavers. She would jet over to second following the strikeout by Aguirre for the stolen base. After a walk to Prewitt, Goins would strikeout, but both Prewitt and Chavers would race ahead for a pair of stolen bases with runners now on second and third as Addis approached the plate.
Addis would deliver a clean two RBI double to left field to give the Golden Suns a 5-1 lead. Williams would round out the action in the top of the fifth inning with a single to second base that would score Addis and give Tech a 6-1 lead after five innings of play.
The Golden Suns would score their final three runs of the day in the top of the seventh. After a walk to Prewitt with one out, Goins would hit a single to right field to put two on. Addis would collect her second hit of the day with a single to load the bases.
Williams would pick up an RBI off a sac hit to the pitcher that would score Prewitt.
Sydney Keaton would bring home the final two runs of the day with a single to right center field to score both Goins and Addis to give the Golden Suns a strong 9-1 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
The Rangers would fight back in the bottom of the frame with a two out grand slam that would still have Tech ahead 9-5, but Basler would shutdown any other chance for the Rangers with a flyout to the next better to hold steady and give the Golden Suns the 9-5 win. Basler picks up the win and moves to a 5-5 record on the year.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns will round out their weekend in Alva, Okla. tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. as they go for the weekend series sweep against Northwestern Oklahoma State in the final game of the series.
