BENTONVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech softball team was on both sides of a walk-off on Friday at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic as they lost their first game of the day, 6-5, to Northwest Missouri and then won their second game, 3-2, against Emporia State.
NORTHWEST MISSOURI
The Golden Suns got out to an early 2-0 lead in the game against Northwest Missouri, scoring twice in the top of the first.
Anna Winkfield got things going with an infield single. After she stole second,
Aly White walked and then the bases were loaded on a bunt single from
Aaliyah Dixon.
Miya Curry then drove in the two runs on a single.
Two innings later, the Golden Suns scored two more runs to go up 4-0. In that inning, Dixon led off with a walk and then stole second. After the first out was recorded,
Addy Ward drew a walk as well. Both Dixon and Ward advanced 60-feet on a groundout in the next at-bat.
Lexi Gunter then produced a clutch two-RBI single to left.
Northwest Missouri would respond in their half of the third and scored three runs. Two innings later, the Bearcats grabbed the lead with two runs in the fifth.
That lead did not last long, however, as the Golden Suns scored the tying run in the top of the sixth. Gunter led the inning off with a single to left and then was lifted for a pinch-runner,
Sophia Wahrmund. Wahrmund would steal second and third around a pair of strikeouts. She then scored on a two-out RBI single to left by Winkfield.
The Golden Suns and Bearcats were retired in order their next trips to the plate as the score remained tied at 5-all heading into the bottom of the seventh.
After a leadoff single by Northwest Missouri in the bottom of the seventh, the Bearcats won in the next at-bat with a double to right-centerfield.
EMPORIA STATE
It was a scoreless tie until the top of the fourth inning when Emporia scored a run on a solo home run. The Hornets then added an unearned run in the top of the sixth to go up 2-0.
The Golden Suns would then crack the scoreboard themselves in the bottom of the frame on a RBI single up the middle from
Anna Winkfield that scored
Aubree Jones, who led off the inning with an infield single.
Aly White, the Golden Suns' starting pitcher then came back out to the circle in the top of the seventh and kept it a one-run game as she retired the Hornets in order. That set the stage for the Golden Suns to mount the comeback and eventual walk-off.
Sharlee Jackson got things started in the inning with a single to left. She was then pinch-ran for by
Addy Ward. Ward quickly got to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Destiney Madewell.
Jenny Shank then reached on a fielding error by the ESU third baseman.
AJ Fike would come on and pinch-run for Shank.
After the second out was made, Jones hit an infield single to second base to load the bases with two outs. White, who was pitching and hitting in the game, singled through the left side to chase home Ward for the tying run.
The bases remained loaded for Dixon. She would work the count full and then took ball four to force home Fike for the winning run.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns will now prepare for two more games at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic on Saturday. First up, is an 11:30 a.m. game against No. 24-ranked Missouri Southern and then a 2 p.m. scheduled start time against St. Edward's.
