RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech softball team won both ends of their Friday night doubleheader at home against Southeastern Oklahoma, winning game one, 4-3 in eight innings and then 4-0 in the nightcap.
GAME ONE
In the opening game, Southeastern Oklahoma got out to an early 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first, but that would be the only scoring they would do until the top of the seventh.
While the Savage Storm were being held scoreless by Tech starting pitcher,
Aly White, the Golden Suns' offense backed up her effort with some runs starting in the bottom of the third. In that inning,
Lexi Gunter led off with a single up the middle.
Aaliyah Dixon then got a bunt single to third base, moving Gunter to second.
After the first out of the inning was recorded,
Miya Curry doubled into left-centerfield to score Gunter from second. On the play, the Southeastern left fielder would misplay the ball, allowing Dixon to score and Curry to make third.
An inning later, the Golden Suns picked up an unearned run on a dropped flyball with two outs by the Southeastern third baseman.
That run proved to be very important because the Savage Storm would rally for a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 3-all. After Southeastern tied the game with just one out, the Golden Suns went to the bullpen for
Emily Richarde. She would get the final two outs of the inning to bring the game to the bottom of the seventh.
The Golden Suns would get a two-out baserunner on third on a Dixon double that saw her take third on a fielding error by the Southeastern centerfielder. Nothing came of that, however, and the game moved into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Richarde got the first two outs and then surrendered a two-out single, but she worked around that with a strikeout looking to end the frame. In the bottom half, the first two batters reached base, both on bunts, as Curry led off the inning with a bunt single to third. That was followed by a bunt single to third by
Aubree Jones.
After the first out was recorded, both Curry and Jones stole bases to put the potential winning run at third with less than two outs. That run did not remain potential for long as White dropped in a single to shallow left to drive in the winning run.
GAME TWO
The second game was not as eventful as the first, but this time, it was Tech that took the early 1-0 lead with a run in the first. That run was a clutch two-out RBI single to left by
Caroline Wilhelm that scored
Anna Winkfield, who had led off the inning on a hit-by-pitch.
That 1-0 score held until the bottom of the fifth when the Golden Suns scored three runs on one hit while also benefitting from a Southeastern error.
Winkfield got things going with a one-out walk.
Miya Curry then reached first base on a fielder's choice back to the pitcher in which Winkfield was safe at second.
Aubree Jones then walked on four-straight pitches to load the bases with no outs.
Wilhelm then hit a fielder's choice to shortstop, but the throw home for a potential force out was errant, allowing Winkfield to score. Curry also scored on the play to make it 3-1, Tech. In the next at-bat,
Aly White singled to shallow centerfield to drive in the third and final run of the inning for the Golden Suns.
That was all the run support starting pitcher
Ainslee Moore needed. She would go on to pitch 6.0 innings scoreless, scattering five hits, walking none and striking out one.
Emily Richarde came on for the final inning and she kept the shutout intact, allowing just one hit.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns will go for the series sweep on Saturday. First-pitch for the series finale is scheduled for Noon.
