Arkansas Tech stopped a five-game softball losing streak in style on Saturday by sweeping a Great American Conference doubleheader from the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs at the Chartwells Women’s Sports Complex in Russellville.
The Golden Suns defeated the Bulldogs 5-4 in 10 innings in game one and 2-1 in the nightcap. With the wins, Arkansas Tech improved to 13-17 overall and 7-9 in GAC play.
Southwestern Oklahoma State, which entered the day in the thick of the GAC regular season title hunt, fell to 25-10 overall and 12-6 in the league.
Arkansas Tech’s Ashton Long delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning of game one. Her shot over the shortstop’s head brought Amy Kilpatrick home from third with the game-winning run.
Arkansas Tech’s Victoria Huie (7-6) went the distance in the circle and earned the win. She allowed just two earned runs over 10 innings of work.
SWOSU’s Katie Raines (9-4) took the loss. She allowed five runs, all of them unearned, on nine hits in nine and one-third innings.
Raines, the reigning GAC pitcher of the week, saw her school-record streak of 34 consecutive scorless innings stopped in the bottom of the sixth when the Golden Suns scored four runs on two hits and two Bulldog errors to take a 4-2 lead.
SWOSU forced extra innings on Kristina Davis’ two-run double in the top of the seventh, but Long’s RBI single in the 10th gave Arkansas Tech the win.
Game two turned into a pitchers’ duel between Tech’s Rachel Keeton and SWOSU’s Katrina Johnson.
Keeton (5-10) allowed just one unearned run on six hits in seven innings. The Bulldogs scored their lone run of the nightcap on a sacrifice fly by Davis in the top of the third.
Johnson (10-4) allowed an RBI single by Natalie Magie in bottom of the second inning. She did not surrender another hit until Victoria Huie led off the bottom of the sixth with a single.
Siarra Gomez followed with a double and Long walked to load the bases with the score tied 1-1.
Magie drew a two-out walk to force pinch-runner Macy Wiley home with what proved to be the winning run for Arkansas Tech.
Keeton made the 2-1 lead stand up by retiring the Bulldogs in order in the top of the seventh.
The Golden Suns and the Bulldogs will conclude their four-game series with a doubleheader beginning at noon on Sunday, April 1.
Both games can be heard on KCAB 980 AM.
Click here to access an Internet stream of the broadcast.
Click here to learn more about Arkansas Tech softball.
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