Jalissa Gum earned her 20th pitching victory of the season and Sarah Coronado drove in three runs to lead the nationally seventh-ranked Arkansas Tech University Golden Suns softball team to a 6-0 win over Upper Iowa University in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament on Thursday night.
With the win, Arkansas Tech (47-9) advances to face Minnesota State University in an NCAA Division II Tournament Central Regional winners’ bracket contest at 1 p.m. Friday at the Chartwells Women’s Sports Complex in Russellville.
Radio station KCAB 97.1 FM/980 AM and www.arkansastechsports.com will have live coverage.
Gum (20-2) tossed a two-hit shutout as the Golden Suns emerged victorious in their first-ever home NCAA Tournament game. She struck out 13 Upper Iowa batters.
Coronado went 3-for-3 with a double, while Janie Knowles was 2-for-3 for Arkansas Tech. Gum and Chloe Clifton added one run batted in apiece.
Upper Iowa starting pitcher Jacqueline Flood (18-10) allowed six runs on 10 hits in six innings.
With the loss, Upper Iowa (39-17) drops into an elimination game against Northwest Missouri State University at 3:30 p.m. Friday.
