Nationally fifth-ranked Arkansas Tech University continued its success on the road Saturday by sweeping a Great American Conference softball doubleheader from the University 0f Arkansas-Monticello.
The Golden Suns (34-3 overall, 24-2 GAC) defeated the Cotton Blossoms (22-16, 17-11) 4-2 and 12-7 to improve to 18-0 in games played on their opponents’ home fields in 2016. Arkansas Tech has won seven consecutive games overall.
The two sides will meet for another doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 3. Live coverage will be available at www.arkansastechsports.com.
Game One: Tech 4, UAM 2
Arkansas Tech’s Kelsie Barker pitched three and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief to lead the Golden Suns to a 4-2 victory over UA-Monticello in game one Saturday.
Barker (5-0) retired all 11 batters that she faced, including the final three hitters of the game during her second relief stint of the game.
UAM’s Holly Wilmarth broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning with a solo home run.
Sacrifices by Sarah Coronado and Jalissa Gum gave Tech a 2-1 edge in the top of the fifth inning. Destiny Crumpley followed with a two-run home run to pad the Golden Suns’ lead.
The Blossoms rallied and brought the potential winning run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but Barker got a strikeout and induced two ground outs to preserve the win.
Game Two: Tech 12, UAM 7
Arkansas Tech put together a 14-hit attack to blast past UA-Monticello 12-7 in Saturday’s nightcap.
Gum went 4-for-4 with three runs batted in, Coronado was 3-for-4 with four runs scored and Crumpley was 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Megan Goodnight added two hits and Sydnie Henson contributed two RBIs for the Golden Suns.
Arkansas Tech starting pitcher Morgan Vaughan (13-0) surrendered one run on five hits over four innings to earn the win in the circle.
UAM starter Paisley Pratt (2-2) allowed four runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Korie Parker went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs for the Cotton Blossoms.