CONROE, Texas – The Arkansas Tech softball team opened their 2024 season at the D2 First Pitch Invitational out at Scrap Yard Sports in Conroe, Texas on Friday and came away with a split among their two games played with a run-rule win over Texas Woman's and a one-run defeat to Pittsburg State.
TEXAS WOMAN'S
The Texas Woman's game was truly the season-opener for the Golden Suns, and in it, they got out to a quick 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first. The run was scored by
Kaylyn Aguirre on a sacrifice fly off the bat of
Dani Lindsey. Earlier in the inning, Aguirre led off with a single to second base. After her single, Aguirre got to second a passed ball and then to third on a wild pitch.
Two innings later, the Golden Suns scored two more runs with two outs to go up 3-0. The runs that inning were separated by a near hour-long lightning delay. The first of the runs scored on a double to left-center by
Savannah Snow, scoring
Kacie Gibbins, who was hit-by-a-pitch in the previous at-bat. Shortly after resuming action following the lightning delay, Lindsey picked up her second RBI of the game with a single to center.
In the next half inning, TWU cracked the scoreboard and plated a pair of runs on a two-out double to left-centerfield. On that double, the Golden Suns were able to get out of the inning by cutting down the batter at third as she ill-advisedly tried to stretch her double into a triple.
The Golden Suns were held scoreless in the bottom of the fourth and returned the favor in the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth, the Golden Suns' offense erupted for seven runs on four hits while also benefitting from four TWU errors. The big inning invoked the eight-run rule, ending the game early.
In that inning, Gibbins and Lindsey had RBI doubles while
Maycie Hardy singled home two. Later in the inning,
Aidan Gorton pinch-hit and singled to center scoring
Abigail Lochala and pinch-runner
Cora Skaggs. In the next at-bat, Gorton scored on a throwing error, ending the game.
Earning the win in the circle was
Bradi Basler. She would pitch all five innings and allowed two runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
PITTSBURG STATE
In the second game of their first day of the season, the Golden Suns took on Pittsburg State. Playing as the visiting team in the game, the Gorillas scored first on a sacrifice fly to centerfield. The Golden Suns were able to match that run in the bottom of the inning on a double down the left field line by
Dani Lindsey.
Pitt State regained the lead in the third with a single run and added two more in the top of the fifth.
In the bottom of the inning, the Golden Suns scratched across a run on a RBI single up the middle by Gibbins. Earlier in the inning
Adrianna Cooney hit a one-out single to center and took second on the play thanks to a fielding error by the Gorillas' centerfielder.
Shelby Chavers then pinch-ran for Cooney and later scored on Gibbins base knock.
The Golden Suns would get a run closer in the bottom of the sixth on a RBI groundout by
Maycie Hardy. Earlier in the inning Lindsey led off with a sharp single up the middle. Two batters later, Lindsey was a third thanks to a double that dropped in fair territory down the right field line off the bat of
Lillee Mahan. Lindsey then scored on the aforementioned Hardy groundout.
In their final at-bats in the seventh, the Golden Suns were retired in order to end the game.
Appearing in the circle for the Golden Suns were newcomers
Alexis Findley and
Jaycee McKee. Findley, a junior transfer made the start and pitched 4.1 innings. She would allow four runs (three earned) on four hits, walked two and struck out two. McKee, a true freshman, made her collegiate debut in relief and pitched the final 2.2 innings of the game. She would not allow a run and just one hit while walking two.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns will now prepare for two more games at the D2 First Pitch Invitational on Saturday. They will first take on Saint Martin's at 6:15 p.m. and then close out the day against Angelo State at 8:30 p.m.
