Arkansas Tech University took sole possession of second place in the Great American Conference softball standings by winning 3-of-4 games against Southeastern Oklahoma State University at the Chartwells Women’s Sports Complex in Russellville on Saturday and Sunday.
The Golden Suns (31-11 overall, 22-8 GAC) will visit the University of Arkansas-Monticello for a four-game GAC series on Sunday, April 15, and Monday, April 16. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. both days.
Game One: SOSU 5, Tech 4
Sydnee Hinkle’s extra-inning base hit turned out to be the difference in a 5-4 Southeastern Oklahoma State victory against Arkansas Tech in the series opener on Friday.
Hinkle sent an eighth-inning single through the left side that drove in two runs and gave the Savage Storm a 5-3 lead.
The Golden Suns pulled within one run of the lead on Sarah Coronado’s run-scoring single in the bottom of the eighth, but Destiny Riddle came out of the Southeastern Oklahoma State bullpen to retire the next three ATU hitters and strand the tying run on base. It was Riddle’s first save of 2018.
Savage Storm starter Kelsey Meeks (22-8) scattered eight hits over seven innings and was charged with four runs.
Game Two: Tech 9, SOSU 8
A pair of clutch extra-base hits by Ashton Sangster allowed Arkansas Tech to come from behind and defeat Southeastern Oklahoma State 9-8 in Friday’s nightcap.
The Savage Storm led 8-5 after five-and-a-half innings. Sangster pulled the Golden Suns within 8-7 on a two-run home run to left field in the bottom of the sixth, and she gave Tech the win with a walk-off, two-run double in the bottom of the seventh.
Sangster finished the game 4-for-4 with five runs batted in.
Tech’s Bailey Shaffer (9-2) pitched three and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief.
Game Three: Tech 2, SOSU 1
Arkansas Tech starting pitcher Megan Goodnight held Southeastern Oklahoma State scoreless for the final six innings and the Golden Suns secured a 2-1 victory in the opener of a Saturday doubleheader.
Goodnight (11-2) allowed one run on four hits over seven innings. She retired the final 10 batters she faced.
Tech’s Sydnie Henson and Paige Mendoza both delivered an RBI.
Game Four: Tech 6, SOSU 0
Kristen Dempsey’s one-hit shutout in the circle propelled Arkansas Tech to a 6-0 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State in the series finale on Saturday.
Dempsey (8-2) faced just one batter over the minimum. Southeastern Oklahoma State did not advance a base runner beyond first base, and its only hit came on a fifth-inning single by Keeshia Thompson.
Coronado and Makenzie Addis had two RBIs apiece for the Golden Suns. Bailey Bunch went 3-for-4 and Janie Knowles was 2-for-2. Paty Loredo and Goodnight both drove in one run.
