WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The Arkansas Tech softball team bounced back from a doubleheader sweep at Southwestern Oklahoma on Friday and picked up a 3-1 win over SWOSU on Saturday to salvage a game in the series.
After having their offense held scoreless across both games on Friday, the Golden Suns wasted no time in cracking the scoreboard on Saturday with a run in the first.
Maycie Hardy got things going for the Golden Suns as she hit a one-out double to right-centerfield. After her double, Hardy was pinch-ran for by
Anna Winkfield. Two batters later, Winkfield scored the run on a RBI single to centerfield off the bat of
Aidan Gorton.
An inning later, the Golden Suns kept things going with two more runs scoring on the strength of two hits and the benefit of a SWOSU error. The inning started with a leadoff single by
Savannah Snow. After her single, Snow was pinch-ran for by
Cora Skaggs. Skaggs quickly moved to second on a single down the right field line by
Adrianna Cooney.
Skaggs would then score in the next at-bat as
Kaylyn Aguirre reached first base safely on a sacrifice bunt that also had a throwing error by the SWOSU pitcher, which allowed Skaggs to score and Cooney to make third. Two batters later, the bases were loaded with no outs as Hardy drew a walk.
Sydney Keaton then drove in the second run of the inning for Tech on a fielder's choice.
Those three early runs by the Golden Suns proved to be more than enough for starter Aidan Dayberry as she would go on to hold the Bulldogs scoreless through the first five innings. During that time, Dayberry had allowed one hit and struck out five.
The Bulldogs would get to Dayberry some in the sixth as they pushed across their lone run of the game. After surrendering the run on sacrifice fly, Dayberry registered her sixth strikeout of the game to end the inning.
The Golden Suns had an opportunity to add some insurance runs in the top of the seventh as they loaded the bases with one out, but weren't able to push across any more runs.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Bulldogs got the tying run on base and potential winning run to the plate following consecutive one-out singles. The threat was quickly snuffed out by Dayberry as she picked up back-to-back Ks to end the game.
The Golden Suns will now prepare for a mid-week doubleheader on the road at Delta State this coming Tuesday. First-pitch from Cleveland, Mississippi is scheduled for 2 p.m.
