Arkansas Tech University earned three victories and suffered one loss during the 2018 UAM D-2 Softball Challenge in Bentonville on Thursday and Friday.
The Golden Suns (6-2) will return to Bentonville on Friday, Feb. 16, and Saturday, Feb. 17, for the UAM 9-State Classic.
Game One: Tech 11, Northwest Missouri State 6
Sarah Coronado, Paige Mendoza, Janie Knowles and Sydnie Henson delivered two runs batted in apiece to help Arkansas Tech defeat Northwest Missouri State 11-6 on Thursday.
Bailey Shaffer (1-0) was credited with the win in the circle. She allowed three runs on five hits over two and one-third innings. Kristen Dempsey pitched two and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief for her first save of the season. Dempsey struck out three and allowed one hit.
Game Two: Tech 9, Emporia State 5
Arkansas Tech belted four home runs and received seven quality innings of work from its bullpen to take down Emporia State 9-5 on Thursday.
Makenzie Addis, Megan Goodnight, Mendoza and Knowles all went deep for the Golden Suns. Goodnight’s two-run shot in the top of the seventh set what proved to be the final score.
Shaffer (2-0) allowed one run on three hits over five innings of relief pitching. Goodnight got the final six outs without allowing a run to collect her first save of 2018.
Game Three: Tech 12, Central Missouri 8
A pair of seventh-inning home runs catapulted Arkansas Tech to a 12-8 triumph over Central Missouri on Friday.
Goodnight broke an 8-8 tie with a solo shot over the center field fence in the top of the seventh. Five batters later, Mendoza smashed a three-run home run to left field that provided the Golden Suns with a four-run lead.
Goodnight (1-0) retired the Jennies in order in the last of the seventh to seal the deal.
Game Four: Missouri Western 5, Tech 2
A three-run home run by Gabi Carter in the bottom of the second inning gave Missouri Western a lead it never relinquished in a 5-2 victory against Arkansas Tech on Friday.
Bailey Bunch was 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Golden Suns.