RUSSELLVILLE, Ark - The Arkansas Tech softball team picks up a 4-0 shutout win at home over East Central to begin their final weekend home GAC series of the 2023 season. Following this afternoons action, the Golden Suns advance to 26-17 overall with a 15-9 record against Great American Conference opponents.
Getting the start in the circle for the Golden Suns was senior
Bailey Buffington who pitched a fantastic game, recording her 14th complete game and earned her ninth shutout of the season against the Tigers.
The Golden Suns would strike the board early in the bottom of the first inning that began with leadoff walk to
Brooke Prewitt. Then,
Makenzie Goins would push ahead Prewitt to scoring position on second base with a sacrifice bunt.
Prewitt would then advance to third following a groundout as
Makenzie Addis approached the plate for her first at-bat of the day.
Addis would deliver the first blow of the game hitting a well placed single between the ECU first baseman and right fielder back in right field to score Prewitt and get the Golden Suns ahead early with a 1-0 lead at the end of the first.
Over her next three innings in the circle, Buffington would face just ten hitters in the ECU lineup and get nine of the ten out as she continued her strong pitching performance for the day. She allowed just one total hit across those three innings and it was the only member of ECU to reach base at all in that time frame.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Golden Suns would shut the door on ECU.
Kassie Mayberry would be the first member of the Golden Suns to reach base in the inning after reaching first on a throwing error by the ECU shortstop. Mayberry would advance to second off a single through the right side from
Shelby Chavers as the Golden Suns returned to the top of the order in their lineup with just one out in the inning.
Prewitt would follow the single from Chavers with one of her own up the middle that would score Mayberry for the unearned run and RBI. Prewitt and Chavers would also advance one more base on that play on the throw by ECU putting both runners for Tech in scoring position on second and third with still just one out.
A wild pitch in the next at-bat would score Chavers at third and advance Prewitt up to third base within range of home plate.
Dani Lindsey would score the final run of the game off a sacrifice flyout to centerfield that would bring home Prewitt and give the Golden Suns a 4-0 lead after five full innings of action.
From there, Buffington was handed the keys to close up shop for the day getting her last six of seven batters faced down on outs to secure her ninth total shutout of the season and give her team the 4-0 win to begin their weekend against the Tigers.
Buffington picks up the win for the game and moves to 15-7 overall on the season.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns will wrap up their final GAC weekend home series tomorrow morning on senior day with a doubleheader. The senior day ceremony is set to begin at the Chartwells Women's Sports Complex tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m., with first pitch for the doubleheader set to follow at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.
