RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On a day in which the Arkansas Tech softball team honored the life and memory of one of their most loyal supporters, Mrs. Joy Miller, the Golden Suns won both ends of their doubleheader in walk-off fashion, winning game one 4-3 and game two, 3-2.
The sweep of the two games on Saturday gave the Golden Suns the series victory over SNU after the Crimson Storm won the opener on Friday night.
GAME ONE
The opening game a low-scoring affair though the early goings as it was a 1-0 game in favor of Southern Nazarene heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. In that frame, the Golden Suns both got their first hit of the game and scored their first runs.
The inning was started with a leadoff walk drawn by
Anna Winkfield. On the very next pitch, the Golden Suns collected that first hit as
Kacie Gibbins singled sharply to left.
Sadie Turner then singled to the pitcher to load the bases with no outs.
After a pitching change, the Golden Suns scored their first run on a RBI single from
Maycie Hardy. A batter later,
Sharlee Jackson hit a sac fly for the Suns' second run, giving them a 2-1 lead.
The Crimson Storm, unfortunately, answered back in the top of the sixth and scored two runs on three hits themselves to reclaim the lead, 3-2.
After being retired in order in the sixth, the Golden Suns were able to return the favor in the top of the seventh to keep it a one-run game heading into the bottom of the seventh.
In that seventh inning, Turner drew a one-out walk and was then pinch-ran for Lillie Mahan. Two batters later, the Golden Suns were down to their final out, but Jackson extended the inning on a single through the left side. She was then pinch-ran for by
Lexi Gunter, who would represent the potential winning run.
Gunter and Mahan then got 60-feet closer on an infield single from
Caroline Wilhelm. That set the stage for the heroics to be delivered by
Savannah Snow. After quickly getting down in the count, 0-2, Snow got to a 1-2 count before she served a single up the middle that scored both Mahan and Gunter to give the Golden Suns the win.
GAME TWO
In the second game, each team scored a run in the first inning, but it was the Golden Suns that were able to keep a lead for more than a half inning as they scored their second run in the bottom of the second on a RBI single through the left side by Winkfield. The run the inning prior was driven in by Hardy as she singled through the right side.
Game two starting pitcher,
Bradi Basler would make that score stand for the duration of her stay in the circle as she would pitch into the fifth inning, but only registered 4.0 innings as she was relieved by
Alexis Findley with no outs in the fifth after the Crimson Storm had consecutive hits to start the frame.
The Crimson Storm would then load the bases with no outs as the first batter Findley faced would reach on fielder's choice sacrifice bunt. That is where Findley would bore down, however, as she struck out the next two batters and then escaped the inning with no damage in the next at-bat by inducing a pop out to first base.
SNU was able to tie the game up in the top of the sixth on a one-out solo home run, but that would be all that Findley would allow in terms of scoring. After being held off the board in the fifth and sixth innings, the Golden Suns were in position for a second walk-off as they came to the plate with the score tied at two-all in the bottom of the seventh.
In that bottom half, Gibbins, with out in the inning, got to a 2-0 hitter's count and then tripled to right-centerfield, putting her as the winning run 60-feet away. Playing the percentages, the Crimson Storm elected to intentionally walk the next two Golden Suns' batters in Turner and Hardy to load the bases and setup a potential double play anywhere on the diamond.
That decision brought Jackson to the plate, but before her appearance, SNU made a pitching change. The change did not matter in the least as, on the first-pitch, Jackson hit a liner deep enough into centerfield to score Gibbins from third for the winning run.
NEXT UP
The Golden Suns will be at home on Monday afternoon for a non-conference doubleheader against former conference foe, Delta State. First-pitch for the twin-bill is scheduled for 2 p.m.
