CONWAY, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech softball team won both ends of their doubleheader against Southwestern Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon with the twin-bill being played at City of Colleges Park in Conway due to wet field conditions at Chartwells Complex following Friday's rainfall.
Despite playing in Conway on Saturday, the third and final game of the series will be played in Russellville on Sunday afternoon starting at noon.
GAME ONE
In the opener, the Golden Suns (21-11, 11-4 GAC) scored a run in the bottom of the second inning to take an early lead. The run in that inning scored on a throwing error by the SWOSU third baseman.
That one-run held up until the bottom of the fourth when the Golden Suns scored four runs on four hits.
Makenzie Goins led off the inning with a triple to right field. On that same play, Goins scored as the Bulldogs threw the ball away trying to nab her at third base.
Makenzie Addis followed with a double in the next at-bat and then got to third on a single by
Jessica Williams.
Kacie Gibbins plated the second run of the frame with a single up the middle. Two batters later, the bases were loaded with one out. With the bases loaded,
Shelby Chavers picked up a RBI the painful way as she was hit-by-a-pitch. Two batters later, Tech scored their fourth run of the inning on a walk drawn by
Sydney Keaton.
In the top of the fifth, SWOSU scored their lone run of the game as they cashed in a leadoff double.
The Golden Suns would tack on three runs in the sixth. In that inning, Chavers led off with a bunt single to third base and then stole second.
Brooke Prewitt then singled up the middle to drive Chavers in. Later in the inning, Williams doubled home two runs as she split the gap in left-centerfield.
Bailey Buffington handled all of the pitching duties in the opener. She would scatter eight hits, allow one run, walk none and strikeout three en route to her 13
th win of the season.
GAME TWO
The second game was decided early as Tech scored four runs in the bottom of the second. In that inning,
Sydney Keaton reached base on a fielding error to lead off. Two batters later, the bases were loaded thanks to a single by
Kacie Gibbins and
Kassie Mayberry reaching first base on a fielding error by the SWOSU pitcher following a successful sacrifice bunt.
With the bases loaded, Kaylnn Aguirre singled home a run.
Brooke Prewitt then drew a walk to force in the second run.
Shelby Chavers and
Makenzie Goins followed with consecutive sacrifice flyouts to chase home runs three and four.
Those runs were in support of starter
Bradi Basler, who would go on to register her first shutout as a Golden Sun. In 7.0 innings of work, Basler limited the Bulldogs to just four base runners on three hits and one walk.
With Basler working on her shutout, Tech scored its fifth and final run in fourth inning on a RBI single to center by Goins.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns and Bulldogs will finish their series with a single game on Sunday starting at Noon. As mentioned previously, the game will take place in Russellville at the Chartwells Women's Sports Complex.
