Arkansas Tech University and Southwest Baptist University split a non-conference softball doubleheader at the Chartwells Women’s Sports Complex in Russellville on Tuesday.
The Golden Suns won game one 4-1, but the Bearcats came back to take the nightcap 4-2.
Arkansas Tech (15-23) broke a 1-1 tie in the opener by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Alicia Zack started the rally by reaching on an error. Four straight hits by pitcher Victoria Huie, Hayley Hudson, Siarra Gomez and Ashton Long put the Golden Suns in front 4-1.
Huie (9-8) took it from there by retiring nine of the last 10 batters she faced.
The freshman from Pottsville held the Bearcats to one unearned run on four hits over seven innings. It was her 13th complete game of the season.
Game two saw an equally dominating pitching performance through six innings by Southwest Baptist’s Alexa Harvey (4-6).
She held the Suns to just two hits over those first six innings while building a 4-0 lead, but then she lost the strike zone.
Harvey walked the first two batters she faced in the bottom of the seventh. Natalie Magie flew out to right and Cassady Haworth delivered an RBI ground out to cut the Bearcats’ edge to 4-1 with two outs.
Chandler Touchstone kept Tech’s hopes alive with an RBI single. Walks to Zack and Maddie Roncketto loaded the bases, put the winning run at first base and chased Harvey from the circle.
Southwest Baptist (13-25) called on relief pitcher Alex Abernathy, who induced a ground ball from Huie that resulted in a game-ending fielder’s choice. It was Abernathy’s third save of the season.
Tuesday marked the Golden Suns’ final home games of the 2012 softball season. Arkansas Tech finished 13-7 at the Chartwells Women’s Sports Complex this year.
The Golden Suns will visit Pittsburg State (Kan.) for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, April 17.
Click here to learn more about Arkansas Tech softball.
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