MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech softball team came up one run short in their series-opener on the road at Southern Arkansas on Friday night, losing to SAU, 3-2.
The Golden Suns were the first to score in the game one pitcher's duel and put up a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. That frame got going on one-out single down the left field line by
Riley Drake. That was then followed with a single up the middle by
Lexi Gorniak.
Tech then scored both run in the next at-bat by putting pressure on the Muleriders' defense as
Neveah Wilson laid down a sacrifice bunt. On that play, Wilson was able to get to third while both Drake and Gorniak scored as SAU's pitcher made an errant throw trying to get an out on the play.
Sadie Turner was then hit-by-a-pitch and promptly stole second to put two runners in scoring position with one out. Unfortunately, the Golden Suns were unable to push across any more runs that inning as SAU's pitcher struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
In the third, SAU scored their first run on a clutch two-out hit. An inning later, the Muleriders put the tying and go-ahead runners on base with consecutive one-out infield singles. After a wild pitch moved both up 60-feet, they scored with relative ease on a two-RBI double out to left.
That ended up being the last of the scoring in the game as SAU's Brinson Rogers managed to out-duel Tech's
Alexis Findley. Findley took the tough-luck loss, but had six strikeouts in six innings of work.
The Golden Suns and Muleriders will conclude their series on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader that is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
