RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech softball team closed out their regular season at home against league-leading Oklahoma Baptist with a doubleheader on Saturday morning/afternoon. The Golden Suns were competitive in both games, but fell in each to the Bison.
GAME ONE
Prior to the first game of the day officially starting, Friday night's series-opener, which was suspended in the bottom of the seventh, resumed and was promptly finished as Oklahoma Baptist held on for a 4-3 win.
The first full game of the day on Saturday saw Oklahoma Baptist take a 1-0 lead in the top of the second and then extend that lead out to 3-0 in the fourth and then 4-0 in the fifth.
The Golden Suns would get on the board for the first time in the bottom of the sixth and did so in the most electric way. On the very first pitch of the frame,
Lillee Mahan lined a ball down the left field line and after it was down in fair territory, it was too far out of the reach of the Oklahoma Baptist left fielder and got past her to the corner, which allowed Mahan to race around all the bases and cruise on home for an inside-the-park home run.
With the sudden jolt of energy, the Golden Suns then got consecutive singles from
Maycie Hardy and
Sydney Keaton to bring the potential tying run to the plate. The Bison were able to work out of the jam without any further damage, however, and went on to retire the Golden Suns in order in the seventh to secure the win and the series.
GAME TWO
In the second game, the Golden Suns were the first to score as they tallied a run in the bottom of the third. Mahan was in the middle of that run scoring as well as she reached first base on a throwing error by the Oklahoma Baptist third baseman. That errant throw allowed
Shelby Chavers to score from second base.
That 1-0 lead for the Golden Suns held until the top of the sixth when Oklahoma Baptist brought a leadoff hit-by-pitch all the way around to score the tying run three batters later. An inning later, the Bison got another leadoff base runner to cross the plate as they capitalized on a walk to score the go-ahead run.
The Golden Suns would get their leadoff batter on base in the bottom of the seventh on a leadoff single to left by Keaton, but the Bison once more were able to keep a run from scoring as they put the finishing touches on a series sweep.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns will now prepare for the upcoming GAC Tournament and will be the No. 5-seed. Their first-round opponent will be No. 8-seed Henderson State. First-pitch will be at 10:30 a.m. out at the Bentonville High School Softball Field in Bentonville.
