RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – A day after completing a doubleheader sweep with a walk-off from Lexi Gornaik, the Arkansas Tech softball team hit the repeat button and did the same thing on Saturday afternoon in the series finale to beat East Central 6-5 and sweep the overall series.
The late game heroics were not at the forefront early in Saturday's game as East Central jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to a three-run home run. ECU would add a run in the third to take a 4-0 lead.
It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth when the Golden Suns would score their first run of the game. That inning,
Caroline Wilhelm led off with an infield single to short.
Maycie Hardy then singled to right-centerfield. On her single Hardy would get to second on a throwing error by the ECU right fielder. Prior to that errant throw, Wilhelm was able to make third on a fielding error by the ECU right fielder.
Two batters later, the bases were loaded with one out as pinch-hitter
Riley Drake reached on a fielding error by ECU's pitcher. Gorniak then collected the RBI as she singled. The Golden Suns remained in position for more runs, but ECU retired the next two batters to limit the damage.
An inning later, the Golden Suns' offense fully got rolling as they scored four runs on four hits to take a 5-4 lead.
Kacie Gibbins led that frame off with a single up the middle and was quickly moved to third on a double down the left field line by
Anna Winkfield. Gibbins then scored in the next at-bat as Wilhelm singled up the middle.
Tech would get another run closer in the next at-bat with a sac fly from Hardy. Two batters after that, Tech took the lead on a two-run double to left-centerfield by Drake.
Both teams went down in order in the sixth as the game quickly moved to the seventh with Tech leading by a run. The Tigers would rally to score the tying run and force a bottom of the seventh.
In that bottom half, Wilhelm led off with a walk. Hardy then doubled down the left field line to move Wilhelm, as the potential winning run, to third with no outs. Two batters later, the bases were loaded with one out and Gorniak coming to the plate. Gorniak would chop a ball back to the pitcher, but she mis-handled the high bouncer, allowing Wilhelm to score the winning run.
The Golden Suns will now prepare for another weekend series at home this coming weekend. They will take on Ouachita Baptist starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 28.
