McSweeney Earns 100th Win at Tech

Kristina McSweeney reached 100 wins as Arkansas Tech University head softball coach when the Golden Suns won twice on day one of the 2016 Southeastern Regional Invitational at Durant, Okla., on Friday.

McSweeney (photographed) is the second Golden Suns softball coach to earn 100 victories, and she made it to that plateau faster than any coach in program history.

Weather permitting, games at the Southeastern Regional Invitational are scheduled to continue through Sunday, Feb. 7.

Game One: Arkansas Tech 10, Central Oklahoma 9

Alex Edinger delivered the game-winning hit in a 10-9 Arkansas Tech victory over the University of Central Oklahoma on Friday.

Edinger’s single up the middle drove in Sarah Coronado with the tying run and Janie Knowles with the winning run to allow the Golden Suns to win in walk-off fashion in their season debut.

Edinger was 3-for-5 with two runs batted in. Jalissa Gum went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Knowles finished 2-for-3 with a home run and three driven in. Gaby Vasquez and Kambri Hill both drove in one run for Tech.

Morgan Vaughan (1-0) pitched two innings of relief for the Golden Suns and was credited with the win.

Game Two: Arkansas Tech 5, Central Missouri 0

Vaughan was almost perfect in game two, tossing a one-hit shutout to lead Arkansas Tech to a 5-0 victory over the University of Central Missouri.

The only hit Vaughan allowed was a single by UCM’s Emily Robinson in the bottom of the second inning. She issued a walk to the next hitter, Allie Dishinger, before striking out Makayla Schoonover to end the inning.

That strikeout was the beginning of a string of 16 consecutive hitters retired by Vaughan (2-0) to end the game.

Tech’s Ashley Savage went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Gum, Hill and Megan Goodnight contributed one run batted in apiece.