Arkansas Tech University won all four games against Northwestern Oklahoma State University in the first Great American Conference softball series of the season for both teams on Sunday and Monday in Bentonville.
The Golden Suns (13-3 overall, 4-0 GAC) will visit Ouachita Baptist University for a four-game GAC series in Arkadelphia on Friday, March 2, and Saturday, March 3.
First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday.
Game One: Tech 4, NWOSU 3
Bailey Bunch’s RBI bunt single in the bottom of the fourth inning provided Arkansas Tech with its winning margin in a 4-3 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State on Sunday.
Megan Goodnight made the one-run lead stand up the rest of the way. She provided the Golden Suns with three scoreless and hitless innings of relief for her third save of the season.
Bailey Shaffer (3-1) was the winning pitcher. She limited the Lady Rangers to one run on two hits over one and two-thirds innings of relief.
Goodnight, Paige Mendoza and Sydnie Henson notched one run batted in apiece for the Suns.
Game Two: Tech 4, NWOSU 0
Kristen Dempsey tossed a two-hit shutout to lead Arkansas Tech to a 4-0 triumph against Northwestern Oklahoma State in Sunday’s nightcap.
Dempsey (3-0) struck out nine Lady Rangers as she faced just three batters over the minimum.
Sarah Coronado had an RBI single in the bottom of the third inning and Janie Knowles smashed a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to account for the Golden Suns’ offensive production.
Game Three: Tech 9, NWOSU 2
Arkansas Tech scored at least one run in each of the first five innings and rolled past Northwestern Oklahoma State 9-2 in game one of Monday’s doubleheader.
Henson went 3-for-3 with two runs scored for the Golden Suns, while Ashton Sangster was 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Makenzie Addis added a two-run home run. Knowles and Mendoza both drove in one run.
Shaffer (4-1) limited the Lady Rangers to no runs on two hits in four innings of relief work in the circle.
Game Four: Tech 5, NWOSU 1
A four-run rally by Arkansas Tech in the bottom of the fifth inning propelled the Golden Suns to a 5-1 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State in the series finale on Monday.
Coronado broke a 1-1 tie with a RBI single in the last of the fifth. Bunch stole home to increase Tech’s lead to 3-1. Mendoza and Goodnight followed with RBI singles that set the eventual final score.
Goodnight (3-0) pitched three scoreless innings of relief. She allowed one hit.
