RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech softball team continued its winning streak on Friday and picked up a doubleheader sweep against Henderson State, winning the opening game 9-1 in six innings and 3-1 in the second game
GAME ONE
In the opening game, the Golden Suns scored at least one run in all six of their turns at the plate and started with a pair of runs in the first. The first run scored on a single through the left side of the infield by starting pitcher,
Aly White. The second run then scored in the next at-bat as
Destiney Madewell hit a sacrifice fly to center.
The Reddies would threaten to score in the top of the second as the first two batters reached and eventually the bases would be loaded, but White was able to work out of the inning without allowing a run.
Caroline Wilhelm then emphatically gave the Golden Suns another run with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second.
Henderson would score their lone run in their half of third, but the Golden Suns got that run back, plus one, to go up 5-1.
After the first two outs were recorded in the fourth,
Aaliyah Dixon hit a solo home run to left-centerfield to make it a 6-1 game. The run in the fifth saw
Miya Curry's leadoff walk come around to score as Madewell collected her third RBI of the game with a single up the middle.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Golden Suns would score twice to end the game early. The first run scored on a one-out RBI triple from Dixon. She then scored in the next at-bat on an infield bunt single by
Anna Winkfield.
GAME TWO
The second game was scoreless through the first three innings and it was Henderson that broke the scoreless tie with a run in the top of the fourth on a RBI groundout. In the bottom half of the inning, the Golden Suns took advantage of a two-out error by Henderson that extended the inning to
Aubree Jones.
Jones made the most of the opportunity and singled home a pair of runs as she hit the ball sharply through the left side of the infield.
In the sixth, Jones added a run of insurance as she doubled to right-centerfield, scoring Curry, who walked with two outs in the at-bat prior.
That insurance run was more than enough for reliever
Emily Richarde as she made quick work of the Reddies in the top of the seventh to earn her second save of the season. Richarde actually entered the game in the top of the fifth after the Golden Suns took the 2-1 lead and was absolutely lights out as she retired all nine batters faced with six being strikeout victims.
The Richarde save was in support of starter Ainsley Moore, who picked up the win after going 4.0 innings. Moore would allow the one run on four hits, walked two and struck out four.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns will go for the series sweep against Henderson State on Saturday afternoon. First-pitch for the game is scheduled for 3 p.m.
