BRANSON, Mo. – The Arkansas Tech softball team opened up their 2025 season in a big way on Friday afternoon as they won both of their games. Tech picked up an 8-4 win in their first game against Drury and turned around and beat Southwest Baptist, 7-3 in their second game.
DRURY
In the game against Drury, the Golden Suns used a monster seven-run inning in the top of the third to lead them to the eventual 8-4 win.
That third inning started with a leadoff walk to
AJ Fike. Fike then scored in the next at-bat as
Maycie Hardy reached on a fielder's choice on a grounder hit to third. On that ground ball, the Drury third baseman tried to start a double play by getting Fike at second but threw the ball away, allowing Fike to score and Hardy to reach third.
Sadie Turner then drove in Hardy on a single up the middle. Two batters later, the bases were loaded following a single by
Savannah Snow and a walk drawn by
Kacie Gibbins.
Lexi Gorniak then provided a big hit as she drove in a pair of runs on a double to left-center.
Two more runs then scored in the next at-bat as
Aly White drove in Gorniak and Gibbins by reaching first on fielding error by the pitcher. Later in the inning, Fike came back to the plate for her second appearance and drove in a run on a groundout.
Drury would score their first run in the bottom of the fourth, but that was matched in the top of the fifth on an
Anna Winkfield RBI single to center, putting Tech back up by seven runs, 8-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Drury would score three runs, but were unable to score the rest of the way out as Tech secured the win, 8-4.
Alexis Findley earned the win in the circle as she went 5.0 innings with three hits allowed, four runs (three earned) and six strikeouts.
Aidan Dayberry handled the final 2.0 innings and struck out two en route to a save.
SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
Playing as the home team against Southwest Baptist, the Golden Suns pushed across the first run of the game in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly by
Kacie Gibbins.
Southwest Baptist tied the game with a run in the top of the third, but the Golden Suns regained the lead in the bottom half with a pair of runs. Both runs scored on groundouts as
Caroline Wilhelm drove in pinch-runner
Brooklyn Haney and
Riley Drake drove in
Savannah Snow on a groundout to second.
That 3-1 lead held until the top of the fifth when Southwest Baptist scored twice to tie the score at three-all. Tech was retired in order in the bottom of the frame and then held the Bearcats scoreless in the top of the sixth to set up the game-changing bottom of the sixth.
In that inning, the Golden Suns would strike for four runs on four hits.
Anna Winkfield led the inning off with a single through the right side.
Lexi Gorniak then pinch-hit and drew a walk. After a strikeout for the first out,
Sadie Turner singled up the middle to load the bases. Southwest Baptist then got within an out of allowing any damage as they got a lineout for the second out.
The Golden Suns would get the clutch two-out hit anyways as Wilhelm cleared the bases on a triple to left field. She was then promptly driven in herself on a single by Gibbins in the ensuing at-bat.
Those four runs scored provided all the separation needed as
Aly White came on to pitch in relief of starter
Bradi Basler in the top of the seventh. White would promptly retire the side in order to secure the win. Basler would earn the win in the circle after she pitched 6.0 innings with five hits, three runs (two earned), one walk and six strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns will now prepare for another two-game slate of action on Saturday afternoon. They will first take on Minnesota-Crookston at 2 p.m. followed by a 4 p.m. game against Missouri Southern.
