EDMOND, Okla. - The Arkansas Tech softball team drops both games of their doubleheader against Oklahoma Baptist to close out the regular season. The Golden Suns finish the regular season with a 28-23 overall record and a 17-15 record against Great American Conference opponents.
Tech will head into the GAC Tournament as the No. 5-seed and will face Southeastern Oklahoma in the first round of the tournament at 11 a.m. on Thursday in Bentonville, Ark..
GAME ONE
The opening game of the day was another hard fought outing for the Golden Suns to try and pickup a win against No. 19 Oklahoma Baptist. Getting the start in the circle was
Bradi Basler.
Lexy Taylor would replace Basler in the circle to start the top of the first inning. All three runs of the game were scored in the bottom of the first inning and by Oklahoma Baptist.
A pair of back-to-back doubles would score the first two runs of the game, while a sacrifice flyout to right field would score the third run giving the Bison a 3-0 lead over the Golden Suns after one full inning of action. Following the two doubles,
Kaila Cartwright would replace Taylor in the circle and would close out the game there.
Cartwright would reign in control in the bottom of the second getting three straight outs on the Bison to try and give the offense a chance to spark a comeback.
Shelby Chavers would reach base in the top of the third on a single bunt, but would be thrown out at second as she would be caught stealing.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Golden Suns would come up with a big defensive stop throwing out a Bison runner at home plate to save a run from scoring.
Once again, the strong pitching of Oklahoma Baptist would be hard for the Golden Sun offense to get consistent hitting out of leading to game one going to the Bison 3-0.
GAME TWO
The second game of the afternoon would prove to be a tight contest between both teams. Getting the start in the circle would be Basler who would pick up a complete game in this outing.
Brooke Prewitt would open up the game with a leadoff single to right field. However, the Bison defense would quickly collect three outs following Prewitt's at-bat to send the game into the bottom of the frame.
The Bison would, once again, score their only pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning as a single would score two runs, one being unearned due to a fielding error earlier in the frame. Oklahoma Baptist would take a 2-0 lead into the top of the second inning.
The Golden Suns would score their first run of the series in the top of the second inning that began with a leadoff single by
Jessica Williams.
Williams would then advance to second on a sac bunt by
Kacie Gibbins. Following Gibbins at-bat,
Kaylyn Aguirre would hit a single to left field to put runners on the corners for the Golden Suns with just one out, giving them an opportunity to strike.
Kassie Mayberry would ultimately be the one to drive in the run with a sac flyout to centerfield that allowed Williams to strike home plate and make it a 1-2 game as the Bison still held on to the lead heading into the bottom of the frame.
From here, the game became a battle between pitchers as Basler put up a solid effort in her complete game.
Basler would only allow four hits, on just two runs and would go on to strikeout five total hitters for a solid outing. After the dust of seven innings had settled, however, the two runs in the bottom of the first inning would be enough for Oklahoma Baptist to barely escape with the 2-1 win in the final game of the series.
